“In a minute,” he responded. “It does me good to hear you answer when I ask for your parents, Miss Mary.”
“How is that?”
“Why,” he said, “you always sound so friendly when I ask for them!”
She laughed, and explained her laughter by saying, “It’s funny you don’t always ask for them!”
“Just so,” he agreed. “I’ve been thinking about that. Are you all going up to the Square pretty soon, to hear the concert?”
“Father and mother are, I think,” she said. “I’m not.”
“Just ‘waiting at the gate’?”
“Not for any one!”
Lucius took off his hat and fanned himself, a conciliatory gesture. “I tell you I feel mighty sorry for one young man in this town to-night,” he said.
“Who’s that, Mr. Allen?”