An Idyll of All Fools' Day
intolerable chit and her deep-set violet eyes twinkled maliciously. 

"It will not be at all necessary to see"--he began, when Uncle Julius's round, astonished eyes interrupted them. 

"He is not going to show 'us' at all," explained this worthy 9 but misguided man, "he is going to show you, my dear. I knew all these sights well forty years ago. Dear, dear! yes, indeed." 

9

Antony could have choked him for the apprehension that passed over his young charge's face. 

"You will not desert me, Mr. Julius?" she cried with a melting glance that visibly warmed the cockles of his infatuated old heart, "you can't mean to leave me"--to the awkward attentions of this red faced boy! her eyebrows continued the appeal, intelligible only to Antony. 

"But that's just what I do mean, Miss Nette," he assured her, winking incredibly, "I am this moment due at my trustees' meeting. I'm off directly. You must"--and he flapped his hand with airy abandon--"endure the time without me!" 

Here he smiled with disgusting coquetry and pattered like a plump white rabbit down the shady brick path. As they stared blankly after him he turned and waved his stick at them. 

"Oh, I'm no spoil-sport!" he crowed, and rounded his corner. They were left alone. 

"Silly old ass!" Antony muttered, and then glared angrily at 10 the spot the buxom gentleman had quitted. 

10

"I beg your pardon?" said the young lady, "did you speak?" 

"Not to you," he replied briefly. She shook out a fluffy white parasol and under its becoming shadow looked curiously about her. 

"Indeed--to whom, then," she inquired. 

Antony was silent. 

"Minx!" he thought. 

"You are not at all like your uncle, are you?" she began, after a moment of this pregnant silence. Then after another moment she added absently, "he has such pleasant, easy manners!" 


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