He laid the book open on the top of the gate, very willing to prolong the interview, as it seemed, in spite of Val's disingenuous interjection, "I'm afraid I'll be late."
"Too cheerful for a hymnal," said Julia, shaking her head and smiling up into his eyes.
"Cheerful only on the outside, I'll be bound," said Val, suspiciously. Then turning to the title-page: "'An Anthology collected by—' What makes you like reading poetry?"
"Why, don't you?" said Ethan to them both.
"Yes, indeed," responded Julia.
"Not a bit," said Val.
"Why not?" laughed Ethan.
"Too sad," said Val, firmly.
Julia looked pensively away from Ethan up to the blue sky, over the line of hills.