“I understand perfectly.”
‚ÄúMy sister would be delighted to meet you, but‚ÅÝ‚Äî‚Äù
‚ÄúOh I realize the‚ÅÝ‚Äîdifficulties.‚Äù
‚ÄúPerhaps you wouldn‚Äôt mind riding by some day‚ÅÝ‚Äîit‚Äôs embarrassing to suggest this, but, you know‚ÅÝ‚Äî‚Äù
Miss Taylor was perfectly self-possessed.
‚Äú Mr. ¬ÝCresswell,‚Äù she said seriously, ‚ÄúI know very well that it wouldn‚Äôt do for your sister to call here, and I shan‚Äôt mind a bit coming by to see her first. I don‚Äôt believe in standing on stupid ceremony.‚Äù
Cresswell thanked her with quiet cordiality, and suggested that when he was driving by he might pick her up in his gig some morning. Miss Taylor expressed her pleasure at the prospect. Then the talk wandered to general matters‚ÅÝ‚Äîthe rain, the trees, the people round about, and, inevitably‚ÅÝ‚Äîthe Negro.
‚ÄúOh, by the by,‚Äù said Mr. ¬ÝCresswell, frowning and hesitating over the recollection of his errand‚Äôs purpose, ‚Äúthere was one matter‚Äù‚ÅÝ‚Äîhe paused. Miss Taylor leant forward, all interest. ‚ÄúI hardly know that I ought to mention it, but your school‚ÅÝ‚Äî‚Äù
This charming young lady disarmed his truculent spirit, and the usually collected and determined young man was at a loss how to proceed.
The girl, however, was obviously impressed and pleased by his evidence of interest, whatever its nature; so in a manner vastly different from the one he had intended to assume, he continued:
“There is a way in which we may be of service to you, and that is by enlightening you upon points concerning which the nature of your