But, all this horrid flippancy aside, do you really think I should have talked like this, or been so exigent about the cloak, if I hadn't known everything; if I hadn't been to see Al'mah, and spent an hour with her and knew that she was recovering from that dreadful shock very quickly?
But could you think me so inhuman and unwomanly as not to have asked about her ?" "I wouldn't be in a position to investigate much when you were talking--not critically," he replied, boldly.

"I would only be thinking that everything you said was all right.

It wouldn't occur to me to--" She half closed her eyes, looking at him with languishing humour.

"Now you must please remember that I am quite young, and may have my head turned, and--" "It wouldn't alter my mind about you if you turned your head," he broke in, gallantly, with a desperate attempt to take advantage of an opportunity, and try his hand at a game entirely new to him.
There was an instant's pause, in which she looked at him with what was half-assumed, half-natural shyness.

His attempt to play with words was so full of nature, and had behind it such apparent admiration, that the unspoiled part of her was suddenly made self-conscious, however agreeably so.