" She was about to object, but he continued
quickly. "Where you MEET your gentlemen friends is beyond me.
_I_ don't introduce them to you."
"I should say not," agreed Zoie, and there was a touch of
vindictiveness in her voice. "The only male creature that you
ever introduced to me was the family dog."
"I introduce every man who's fit to meet you," declared Alfred
with an air of great pride.
"That doesn't speak very well for your acquaintances," snipped
Zoie. Even HER temper was beginning to assert itself.
"I won't bicker like this," declared Alfred.
"That's what you always say, when you can't think of an answer,"
retorted Zoie.
"You mean when I'm tired of answering your nonsense!" thundered
Alfred.
CHAPTER IX
Realising that she was rapidly losing ground by exercising her
advantage over Alfred in the matter of quick retort, Zoie, with
her customary cunning, veered round to a more conciliatory tone.
"Well," she cooed, "suppose I DID eat lunch with a man?"
"Ah!" shrieked Alfred, as though he had at last run his victim to
earth.
She retreated with her fingers crossed. "I only said suppose,"
she reminded him quickly. Then she continued in a tone meant to
draw from him his heart's most secret confidence. "Didn't you
ever eat lunch with any woman but me?"
"Never!" answered Alfred firmly.
There was an unmistakable expression of pleasure on Zoie's small
face, but she forced back the smile that was trying to creep
round her lips, and sidled toward Alfred, with eyes properly
downcast.
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