"You, if any one, ought to know that it isn't always easy to prevent."
"I don't know what you mean by that. You've always prevented me, as often as you wanted to."
"Often, but not as often as that. There, Ranny, do get on with the ice-cream. That terrible old woman is coming to stay this evening with her daughter, and you may be sure she'll have us all turned out if everything isn't just right."
"Crane is supposed to be engaged to the daughter," said the male voice.
"Well, I don't envy him his mother-in-law."
"What do you think of Crane?"
There was a pause. At first Tucker feared he might have missed the answer, but presently the question was repeated.
"I asked you what you thought of Crane."
"Oh, I've seen a good many young men of that type in my time," was the reply.
"How strange women are," remarked the ice-cream maker, who had now once again settled down to work. "I should have thought Crane just the man to attract women, well built, good-looking, a splendid horseman—"