To revenge herself she practised small brutalities upon him, which had no effect. He just withdrew and came again next day with his big-dog smile, quiet and persistent as a tide. Shy he was, and singularly pertinacious.
Then his mother died.
That seemed to Boy unfair; but as she reasoned it out he could hardly be held responsible.
They knew all about it at Putnam's, because there was a paragraph in the paper about Brazil Silver's widow.
The young man buried his mother on Friday, and on Saturday came down to Putnam's for his usual week-end.
Boy asked her mother if he had spoken to her about his trouble.
"No," said Mrs. Woodburn.
"Then he shall to me," said the girl, with determination.
He should not bottle up his grief. That would be bad for him. The mother in the girl was emerging from the tom-boy very fast.
On Sunday evening she took him for a ride, and had her way, without a struggle.