“Oh, Daddy, you are too funny! And when you crossed the line of mere friendship with mother,—what did she do?”
“That has nothing to do with the subject. Now, mind, Betty, I am not jesting,—I am not talking idly——”
“You sound very much like it!”
“I’m not. I’m very much in earnest. You are not to encourage the definite attentions of any——”
“All right, let Rod Granniss come up here then, and I promise not to encourage him.”
“He shall not come up here, because he has already gone too far, and you have encouraged him too much——”
“But I love him, Daddy,—and—and I think you might——”
“Hush! That’s enough! Don’t let me hear another word now or ever regarding Granniss! He is crossed off our acquaintance, and if he persists in staying here, we will go away!”
“Why, Father, we’ve only just come!”
“I know it, and I came here, thinking to get you away from that man. He followed us up here,——”