"Well, perhaps you might be able to make enough to support yourself," twinkled Leslie with mischief in a dimple near her mouth.
"Leslie, now you're making fun! I mean this!"
"Well, what do you want me to do about it, give away my money?"
"Of course not. I was a cad and all that, but somehow it seemed as though I hadn't any business to be coming around you when you were so young and with plenty of chances of men worth more than I----"
"More what? More money?"
"Leslie, this is a serious matter with me----"
"Well, it is with me, too," said Leslie, suddenly grave. "You certainly have made me most unhappy for about three weeks. But I'm beginning to think you don't love me after all. What is money between people who love each other? Only something that they can have a good time spending for others, isn't it? And suppose I should say I wouldn't let you support me? I guess after all if you think so much of money you don't really care!"
"Leslie!" Their eyes met and his suddenly fell before her steady, beautiful gaze: "Well, then, Howard Letchworth, if you are so awfully proud that you have to be the richest, I'll throw away or give away all my money and be a pauper, so there! Then will you be satisfied? What's money without the one you love, anyway?"
"I see, Leslie! I was a fool. You darling, wonderful princess. No, keep your money and I'll try to make some more and we'll have a wonderful time helping others with it. I suppose I knew I was a fool all the time, only I wanted to be told so, because you see that fellow told me you and he had been set apart for each other by your parents----!"
A sudden lurch of the canoe roused him to look at Leslie's face: "Oh, that little--liar! Yes, he is! He is the meanest, conceitedest, most disagreeable little snob----!"
"There, there! We'll spare him----" laughed Howard. "I see I was wrong again, only, Leslie, little princess, there's one thing you must own is true, you're very young yet and you may change----"
"Now, I like that!" cried Leslie. "You don't even think I have the stability to be true to you. Well, if I'm as weak-looking as that you better go and find someone else----"
But he stopped her words with his face against her lips, and his arms about her, and at last she nestled against his shoulder and was at peace.