Their tremulous movement was a magnet to Jean.

An invisible and mighty force pulled him down to kiss them.
Whatever the spell had been, that rude, unconscious action broke it.
He jerked away, as if he expected to be struck.

"Girl--I--I"-- he gasped in amaze and sudden-dawning contrition--"I kissed you--but I swear it wasn't intentional--I never thought...." The anger that Jean anticipated failed to materialize.

He stood, breathing hard, with a hand held out in unconscious appeal.

By the same magic, perhaps, that had transfigured her a moment past, she was now invested again by the older character.
"Shore I reckon my callin' y'u a gentleman was a little previous," she said, with a rather dry bitterness.