The Land of Promise: A Comedy in Four Acts (1922)

be a little angry. She would know how to cope with that, she thought. But she flared up a little herself.

'D'you mind not saying things like that to me?'

His smile widened. 'I guess I'll have to say a good many things like that--or worse--before we've done.'

'I asked you to marry me only because I couldn't stay in the shack otherwise.'

'You asked me to marry you because you was in the hell of a temper,' he retorted. 'You were mad clean through. You wanted to get away from Ed's farm right then and there and you didn't care what you did so long as you quit. But you was darned sorry for what you'd done by the time you'd got your trunk packed.'

'I don't know that you have any reason for thinking that,' she said stiffly.

'I've got sense. Besides, when you opened the door when I went up and knocked, you was as white as a sheet. You'd have given anything you had to say you'd changed your mind, but your damned pride wouldn't let you.'

'I wouldn't have stayed longer in that house for anything in the world,' said Nora with passion.

'There you are; that's just what I have been telling you,' he said, nodding his head. 'And this morning, when I came for you at the Y. W. C. A., you wanted bad to say you wouldn't marry me. When you shook hands with me your hand was like ice. You tried to speak the words, but they wouldn't come.'

'After all, one isn't married every day of one's life, is one? I admit I was nervous for the moment.'

'If I hadn't shown you the license and the ring, I guess you wouldn't have done it. You hadn't the nerve to back out of it then.'

'I hadn't slept a wink all night. I kept on turning it over in my mind. I was frightened at what I'd done. I didn't know a soul in Winnipeg. I hadn't anywhere to go. I had four dollars in my pocket. I had to go on with it.'

'Well, you took pretty good stock of me in the train on the way here, I guess,' he laughed, pacing up and down the room.

'What makes you think so?' asked Nora, who had recovered her coolness.

'Well, I felt you was looking at me a good deal while I was asleep,' he jeered. 'It wasn't hard to see that you was turning me over in your mind. What conclusion did you come to?'

Nora evaded the question for the moment.

'You see, I lived all these years with an old lady. I know very little about men.'

'I guessed that.'

'I came to the conclusion that you were a decent fellow and I thought you would be kind to me.'

'Bouquets are just flying round! Have you got anything more to say to me?' he asked, seating himself once more in his chair.

'No, I think not.'

'Then just get me my tobacco pouch, will you? I guess you'll find it in the pocket of my coat.'

With narrowed eyes, he watched her first hesitate, and then bring it to him.

'Here you are.' Her tone was crisp.

'I thought you was going to tell me I could darned well get it myself,' he laughed.

'I don't very much like to be ordered about,' she said smoothly; 'I didn't realize it was one of your bad habits.'

'You never paid much attention to me or my habits till to-day, I reckon.'

'I was always polite to you.'