V
The following Sunday, tramping out on the Wickford road, Nathan beheld a two-seated Concord buggy drawn by a well-lathered horse climbing the hill toward him.
The Dresden Doll, never so dainty, or frilled or furbelowed, sat in the front seat beside a fellow whom Nathan had never seen. The Carver girl with another young stranger occupied the back seat.
Stopping aghast, Nathan looked directly into the Gridley girl’s eye.
She did not see him. She looked through and beyond him. There was no recognition.
But after the rig had passed, leaving a leg-weary, dusty-shoed boy standing in his heart-hunger by the fragrant brambles, one of the quartette passed a remark, which he knew in his hot shame referred to himself.
A sneering little laugh drifted back to him. The rig reached the hilltop and passed over out of sight.