"Her affections are otherwhere," said Jenny, sentimentally.
"That's so, and I don't see much good my hovering round. I should like to marry a real sweet English girl."
Jenny blushed, but she was not vain enough to take the compliment to herself. Yet she could have done so, for Denham was thinking of her when he paid it. Jenny was not pretty, but she had the freshness of youth, and a sweet, frank face of her own which appealed to the man.
Denham had been so accustomed to women of the world like Miss Berry that he longed for something fresh and unsophisticated. He had been thinking a great deal about Jenny lately, and now that he saw Mildred was a star far above his reach, thought he might do worse than take the rector's daughter. The transfer of affections from Miss Starth to Jenny was a considerable effort of mental gymnastics, but Natty had achieved it.
By the time the train started he had laid in a large quantity of magazines and newspapers for the girl, and took his seat in a first-class carriage along with her. There was an old gentleman in the compartment, but they did not pay much attention to him. Nor did they read the magazines. In each other's conversation they found quite enough pleasure. After discussing Billy and the Arrow family and the departure of Natty for the States, Natty announced that he was going down to Wargrove to see Jarman.
"I want to say goodbye," said he, "and there are other things I have to do. Deliver a letter, for one thing."
"To Mr. Jarman?"
"To Miss Starth. And it's from Miss Berry. You've heard me speak of my friends, I guess?"
"Oh, yes--your most intimate friends."
"Well," drawled Natty, flushing, "they were, but they ain't now. I've had a row. Berry hasn't been acting square by me, and I don't cotton to his goings-on nohow. I'll give them a wide berth for the future."