Undine gave him a startled glance. "Father? Why, have you seen him? He never said a word about it!"
Her companion's whistle became audible. "He's running yet!" he said gaily. "I wish I could scare some people as easy as I can your father."
The girl hesitated. "I never felt toward you the way father did," she hazarded at length; and he gave her another long look in return.
"Well, if they'd left you alone I don't believe you'd ever have acted mean to me," was the conclusion he drew from it.
"I didn't mean to, Elmer … I give you my word—but I was so young …
I didn't know anything…."
His eyes had a twinkle of reminiscent pleasantry. "No—I don't suppose it WOULD teach a girl much to be engaged two years to a stiff like Millard Binch; and that was about all that had happened to you before I came along."
Undine flushed to the forehead. "Oh, Elmer—I was only a child when I was engaged to Millard—"
"That's a fact. And you went on being one a good while afterward. The
Apex Eagle always head-lined you 'The child-bride'—"
"I can't see what's the use—now—."
"That ruled out of court too? See here. Undine—what CAN we talk about?
I understood that was what we were here for."