At any rate, Mr. Bucyrus came striding back after half an hour, and, rather surlily but with a certain grudging manliness, said: "I beg your pardon, Miss Talltowers, for what I said. I am ashamed of my having forgotten myself and made that tyrannical speech to you."
"Thank you, sir," said I, without raising my eyes. "You are most gracious."
"And I hope," he went on, "that you will try to treat me as an equal."
"It'll be very hard to do that, sir," said I. And I lifted my eyes and let him see that I was laughing at him.
He shifted uneasily, red and white by turns. "I think you understand me," he muttered.
"Perfectly," said I.
He waved his arm impatiently. "Please don't!" he exclaimed rather imperiously. "I could have got my mother to—"
"I hope you won't complain of me to your mother," I pleaded.
He flushed and snorted, like a horse that is being teased by a fly it can reach with neither teeth, hoofs nor tail. "You know I didn't mean that. I'm not an utter cad—now, don't say, 'Aren't you, sir?'"
"I had no intention of doing so," said I. "In fact I've been trying to make allowances for you—for your mother's sake. I appreciate that you've been away from civilization for a long time. And I'm sure we shall get on comfortably, once you've got your bearings again."