said. Just then, too, she was crossing the main street of the village, and there were other vehicles moving about hither and thither. More than once she nodded to an acquaintance, whom Lawrence also recognized. 

 "It's much more civilized than it was when I was here last," observed Lawrence.  "There are lots of people one knows." 

 "Much too civilized," answered the young girl.  "I'm beginning to hate it." 

 "I thought you liked society—" 

 "I? What made you think so?" 

 This sort of question is often extremely embarrassing. Lawrence looked at her thoughtfully, and wished that he had not made his innocent remark, since he was called upon to explain it. 

 "I don't know," he replied at last. "Somehow, I always associate you with society, and dancing, and that sort of thing." 

 "Do you? It's very unjust." 

 "Well—it's not exactly a crime to like society, is it? Why are you so angry?" 

 "I wish you wouldn't exaggerate! It does not follow that I'm angry because you're not fair to me." 

 "I didn't mean to be unfair. How you take one up!" 

 "Really, Mr. Lawrence—I think it's you who are doing that!" 

 Miss Trehearne, having a stretch of clear road before her, gave her pair their heads for a moment, and the light buckboard dashed briskly up the gentle ascent. Lawrence was watching her, though she did not look at him, and he thought he saw the colour deepen in her sunburnt cheek, although her grey eyes were as cool as ever. She was certainly not pretty, according to the probable average judgment of younger men.  Lawrence, himself, who was an artist, wondered what he saw in her face to attract him, since he could not deny the attraction, and could not attribute it altogether to expression nor to the indirect effect of her character acting upon his imagination. He did not like to believe, either, that the charm was fictitious, and lay in a certain air of superior smartness, the result of good taste and plenty of money. Anybody could wear serge, and a more or less nautical hat and gloves, just in the fashionable degree of looseness or tightness, as the case might be. Anybody who chose had the right to turn up a veil over the brim of the aforesaid hat, and anybody who did so stood a good chance of 

 Prev. P 9/79 next