"Oh, Miss Fanhall!"  
"What is it, Mrs. Truscot?"
 
"That was a great of yours last night, my dear. We all enjoyed the joke so much."
 
"Prank?"
 
"Yes, your riding on the ox cart with that old farmer and that young Mr. What's-his-name, you know. We all thought it delicious. Ah, my dear, after all—don't be offended—if we had your people's wealth and position we might do that sort of unconventional thing, too; but, ah, my dear, we can't, we can't! Isn't the young painter a charming man?"
 
Out on the porch Hollanden was his friends. He heard a step and glanced over his shoulder to see who was about to interrupt him. He suddenly ceased his , and said, "Hello! what's the matter with Grace?" The heads turned .
 
As the girl came toward them it could be seen that her cheeks were very pink and her eyes were flashing general and .
 
The Worcester girls burst into eager interrogation. "Oh, nothing!" she replied at first, but later she added in an undertone, "That wretched Mrs. Truscot——"
 
"What did she say?" whispered the younger Worcester girl.
 
"Why, she said—oh, nothing!"
 
Both Hollanden and Hawker were reflecting.
 
Later in the morning Hawker said to the girl, "I know what Mrs. Truscot talked to you about."
 
She turned upon him . "You do?"
 
"Yes," he answered with . "It was some reference to your ride upon the ox ."
 
She hesitated a moment, and then said, "Well?"
 
With still greater meekness he said, "I am very sorry."
 
"Are you, indeed?" she inquired loftily. "Sorry for what? Sorry that I rode upon your father's ox wagon, or sorry that Mrs. Truscot was rude to me about it?"
 
"Well, in some ways it was my fault."
 
"Was it? I suppose you intend to apologize for your father's owning an ox wagon, don't you?"
 
"No, but——"
 
"Well, I am going to ride in the ox wagon whenever I choose. Your father, I know, will always be glad to have me. And if it so shocks you, there is not the slightest necessity of your coming with us."
 
They at each other, and he said, "You have twisted the question with the usual ability of your sex."
 
She pondered as if seeking some particularly destructive retort. She ended by saying bluntly, "Did you know that we were going home next week?"
 
A flush came suddenly to his face. "No. Going home? Who? You?"
 
"Why, of course." And then with an indolent air she continued, "I meant to have told you before this, but somehow it quite escaped me."
 
He , "Are—are you, honestly?"
 
She nodded. "Why, of course. Can't stay here forever, you know."............