THE KISS 20I 



" For what? " 



" Want of thought." 



Being a person who never thinks, how could 

 you? — ^was what her tone impHed. 



" Oh, I daresay I feel it as mucli as other people," 

 he said. " In a world Hke this it seems to me 

 that the happiest people are the people who don't 

 think." 



" How happy some people must be," murmured 

 she, gazing at the rippHng water, and speaking 

 as though she were taking it into cynicalconfidence. 



" Thanks," said j\Ir Dashwood. 



" I beg your pardon? " 



" I only said, ' Thanks.' " 



" What for? " 



" Your remark." 



"My remark! " 



" Yes." 



" What on earth was there in my remark to 

 thank me for? " 



" If there's one thing I hate more than another," 

 burst out Mr Dashwood, " it's sarcasm mis- 

 appHed." 



" Why do you misapply it then? " 



" I never do; I never use it, so I couldn't 

 misapply it. It's you.' 



" What's— you? " 



" You who are sarcastic." 



" / sarcastic! " said the girl, with the air of a 

 sacristan accused of theft. " When y\^as I ever 

 sarcastic? " 



N 



