"He hasn't done anything that any man wouldn't do under the same circumstances." "No man's got a right to make folks talk about a nice girl," said the Corporal; "and the feller that told me about it said he reckoned you two was in love." He hurried along now without offering her a chance to speak.

"Of course, that had to be caught up quick; you're too fine a girl for that." "Too fine ?" Necia laughed.
"I mean you're too fine and good to let him put you in wrong, just as he's too fine a fellow and got too much ahead of him to make what his people would call a messy alliance." "Would his people object to--to such a thing ?" questioned the girl.
They were alone in the store, and so they could talk freely.

"I'm just supposing, you know." "Oh, Lord! Would they object ?" Corporal Thomas laughed in a highly artificial manner that made Necia bridle and draw herself up indignantly.
"Why should they, I'd like to know?
I'm just as pretty as other girls, and I'm just as good.

I know just as much as they do, too, except--about certain things." "You sure are all of that and more, too," the Corporal declared, heartily, "but if you knowed more about things outside you'd understand why it ain't possible.

I can't tell you without hurtin' your feelin's, and I like you too much for that, Miss Necia.