she panted. "I shall buy it.
I'll write to the Commissioner to-night. And the site for the
bungalow--I've selected it already--is wonderful. You must come over
some day and advise me. You won't mind my staying here until I can get
settled? Wasn't that squall beautiful? And I suppose I'm late for
dinner. I'll run and get clean, and be with you in a minute."

And in the brief interval of her absence he found himself walking about
the big living-room and impatiently and with anticipation awaiting her
coming.

"Do you know, I'm never going to squabble with you again," he announced
when they were seated.

"Squabble!" was the retort. "It's such a sordid word. It sounds cheap
and nasty. I think it's much nicer to quarrel."

"Call it what you please, but we won't do it any more, will we?" He
cleared his throat nervously, for her eyes advertised the immediate
beginning of hostilities. "I beg your pardon," he hurried on. "I should
have spoken for myself. What I mean is that I refuse to quarrel. You
have the most horrible way, without uttering a word, of making me play
the fool. Why, I began with the kindest intentions, and here I am now--"

"Making nasty remarks," she completed for him.

"It's the way you have of catching me up," he complained.

"Why, I never said a word. I was merely sitting here, being sweetly
lured on by promises of peace on earth and all the rest of it, when
suddenly you began to call me names."

"Hardly that, I am sure."

"Well, you said I was horrible, or that I had a horrible way about me,
which is the same thing. I wish my bungalow were up. I'd move
to-morrow."

But her twitching lips belied her words, and the next moment the man was
more uncomfortable than ever, being made so by her laughter.

"I was only teasing you. Honest Injun. And if you don't laugh I'll
suspect you of being in a temper with me. That's right, laugh. But
don't--" she added in alarm, "don't if it hurts you. You look as though
you had a toothache. There, there--don't say it. You know you promised
not to quarrel, while I have the privilege of going on being as hateful
as I please. And to begin with, there's the _Flibberty-Gibbet_. I
didn't know she was so large a cutter; but she's in disgraceful
condition. Her rigging is something queer, and the next sharp squall
will bring her head-gear all about the shop. I watched Noa Noah's face
as we sailed past. He didn't say anything. He just sneered.