Jack had winced when his
ears caught the flippant answer, but it was nothing to the way in
which he shrivelled up when Garry, after shaking Miss MacFarlane's
hand as if it had been a pump-handle instead of a thing so dainty
that no boy had a right to touch it except with reverence in his
heart, had burst out with: "Glad to see you. From the South, I
hear--" as if she was a kangaroo or a Fiji Islander. He had seen
Miss MacFarlane give a little start at Garry's familiar way of
speaking, and had noticed how Ruth shrank behind the urn as if she
were afraid he would touch her again, although she had laughed
quite good-naturedly as she answered:
"Not very far South; only from Maryland," and had then turned to
Jack and continued her talk with the air of one not wishing to be
further interrupted.
The Scribe does not dare to relate what would have become of one
so sensitive as our hero could he have heard the discussion going
on later between the two young people when they were backed into
one of Peter's bookcases and stood surveying the room.
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