“Oh, but he’s not friendly with every one!” cried Mrs. Granger. “Not
by any means!”
It was at this point that Miss Selby’s disillusionment began. She
looked at Mr. Anderson, expecting to find him looking amused, and
instead of that, he was pleased—a little embarrassed, but certainly
pleased!
Then the charming little lady spoke again, addressing Miss Selby:
“What darling wild roses!” she exclaimed. “I do wish I could find
some!”
“They’re azaleas,” said Miss Selby. “And the woods at the foot of the
hill—next to your garden—are full of them.”
Mr. Anderson was not looking at them just then, but only heard their
voices, and he was very much impressed by the contrast. One of them
sounded so gentle and sweet, and the other so chill, so curt. It was
deplorable that Miss Selby should be so ungracious; he was
disappointed.
So he thought that he, at least, would be decently civil to the poor
little woman, and he turned toward her with that intention, only he
could think of nothing to say. He smiled, though, and Mrs. Granger
smiled at him, and Miss Selby observed this.
And Mrs. Granger knew that Miss Selby observed this, and she smiled at
Miss Selby. It was a smile that Mr. Anderson would never understand.
“I wish you’d both come in and look at my garden!” said Mrs. Granger,
wistfully.
“We—” began Mr. Anderson, cheerfully, but Miss Selby interrupted.
“Thank you!” she said. “But I must go home now. Good morning.”
And she actually set off, down the hill. Mr. Anderson, of course, was
obliged to follow, and the dog, Sandy, had the same idea.
“Go home, old fellow!” the young man commanded.
Sandy gave a yelp of joy at being addressed, and stood expectantly
beside him, grinning dog wise into his face. Mr. Anderson again
ordered him home, and Mrs. Granger called him, but he did not go. He
had to be dragged back by the collar and held, while Mrs. Granger
fastened a leash to his collar.
“I never saw anything like it,” she declared. “He’s simply devoted to
you.”
“Dogs generally take to me,” the young man admitted.
Mrs. Granger raised her soft dark eyes to his face.
“I think that’s a very wonderful thing!” said she, quietly. “Because
I’m sure they know. I’d trust Sandy’s judgment against any human
being’s.”
“Oh—well—” Mr. Anderson remarked, grown very red.
“You must come and see Sandy again some day,” she suggested. “Poor
little doggie!”
“I will!” said he. “Yes. Thanks, very much. I will!”
All this had taken considerable time, and Miss Selby was nowhere to be
seen. He hurried after her and, turning the corner at the foot of the
hill, saw her marching briskly along ahead of him. She must have known
that he would follow, yet she did not look back once, and when he
reached her side she said nothing—neither did he. They went on.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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