I liked the man as well as any I ever knew.

In short, I would accompany you a part of the way to the place, and smoke a cigar on the stile while I waited till you came back." "Then you haven't given up smoking ?" "Well--ahem--no.

I have thought of doing so, but--" His extreme complacence had rather disconcerted Grace, and the question about smoking had been to effect a diversion.

Presently she said, firmly, and with a moisture in her eye that he could not see, as her mind returned to poor Giles's "frustrate ghost," "I don't like you--to speak lightly on that subject, if you did speak lightly.

To be frank with you--quite frank--I think of him as my betrothed lover still.