The girl's gaze was fixed on the flushed face and glowing eyes beside her and she leaned as far away from him as possible.
"You really mean it?" she said when he paused.
"As I never meant anything before in my life."
"And yet you would do this to her, just because I have nice eyes."
It was a frigid bucket of water, but Ben stood up under it.
"You don't even know me," said Geraldine. "How strange men are."
"Yes, those you hate; but how about me? You said you liked me."
At this the girl did smile, and the effect was so wonderful that it knocked what little sense Ben Barry had left into oblivion.
"Love at first sight is a fact," he declared. "No one believes it till he's hit, but then there's no questioning. You looked that day as if you would have liked to speak to me--yes"--boldly--"as if to escape Carder you would have mounted that motor-cycle with me and we should have done that Tennyson act, you know--'beyond the earth's remotest rim the happy princess followed him'--or something like that. I don't know it exactly but I'm going to learn it from start to finish and read law afterward. I've dreamed of you all night and worked for you all day ever since and yet I haven't accomplished anything!"
"Haven't!" exclaimed Geraldine. "You've done the most wonderful thing in the world."
"Oh, well, _Cher Ami_ did that. Tell me you'll let me take care of you always, and knock Carder's few remaining teeth down his throat if he ever comes in sight. Tell me you do--you like me a little."
Geraldine's entrancing smile was still lighting her pensive eyes.
"Oh, no, I don't like you. How can I? People don't like utter strangers. One feels worship, adoration for a creature that drops from the skies, and lifts a wretched helpless girl out of torturing captivity into the free sweet air of heaven."
"Well, that'll do," returned Ben, nodding. "Adoration and worship will do to begin with. Let us go over to the village and be married--_my beautiful darling_."
Geraldine colored vividly under this escape of her companion's ungovernable steam, but she did not change her expression.
"I certainly shall not do that," she answered quietly.
Ben relaxed his tense, appealing posture.
"Well, then," he said, drawing a long breath, "if you positively decline the trap--oh, it was a trap all right--if you are determined to postpone the wedding, I'll tell you that I really don't believe your father forged those checks."