“No.” Jim said it with a guilty feeling.
“My experience,” said Zaanan, “is that the run of girls prefers a decent, entertainin’ young man to a bad old one. In gen’ral my notion is folks’d rather be good than bad, rather pick out right than wrong. Buggy hire don’t come expensive.” The old fellow eyed Jim with a twinkle.
Jim returned Zaanan’s look; comprehension came to him.
“Judge Frame,” he demanded, “did you send me to Mrs. Stickney’s because Marie Ducharme was there?” The twinkle in his eye answered Zaanan’s. “Was I just a checker you were moving in your game?”
“It’s my policy,” said Zaanan, “to git as many young checkers as I could moved safe into the king row of marriage.”
“But she dislikes me.”
“Hain’t heard you say you was prejudiced ag’in her. Ever ask her if she disliked you? Um! Better try a few buggy rides first. Kin you drive with one hand?”
“I believe,” said Jim, “you’d try to regulate the sex of Diversity’s babies.”
“If I calc’lated it’d benefit the town I dun’no’ but I’d kind of look into the matter. G’-by, Jim!”