"Am I blushing?" she said. "Are you sure?" And with that she gave
him ample opportunity to make sure, repeating with interest the look
wasted upon Roscoe. "I think you must be mistaken," she continued.
"I think it's your brother who is blushing. I've thrown him into
confusion."

"How?"

She laughed, and then, leaning to him a little, said in a tone
as confidential as she could make it, under cover of the uproar.
"By trying to begin with him a courtship I meant for YOU!"

This might well be a style new to Jim; and it was. He supposed it
a nonsensical form of badinage, and yet it took his breath. He
realized that he wished what she said to be the literal truth, and
he was instantly snared by that realization.

"By George!" he said. "I guess you're the kind of girl that can say
anything--yes, and get away with it, too!"

She laughed again--in her way, so that he could not tell whether she
was laughing at him or at herself or at the nonsense she was talking;
and she said: "But you see I don't care whether I get away with it
or not. I wish you'd tell me frankly if you think I've got a change
to get away with YOU?"

"More like if you've got a chance to get away FROM me!" Jim was
inspired to reply. "Not one in the world, especially after beginning
by making fun of me like that."