It is small wonder that it leaves a maiden thoughtful. It is small wonder that so slight a matter as the closing of an old Dutch door behind her, is enough to bring her heart up into her throat.
CHAPTER XII
STRATEGY AND GEOGRAPHY
Barnes’ position in the library was a strategic one. It gave him an excuse for not venturing out on so fair a morning, after his usual hour with Mr. Van Patten; it saved him from the necessity of lounging in the sitting-room and so revealing too obviously his object in remaining indoors; and it afforded him a point of vantage to intercept Miss Van Patten from time to time as she passed up and downstairs on her important housewifely missions. Incidentally it gave him time to muse and still more incidentally to acquire a variety of statistics which he hoped to use this evening as defense guns in the assault he anticipated from Dr. Merriweather on his none too impregnable position. For Aunt Philomela had astounded them both by announcing that she had asked the doctor to dinner that evening. So far, Barnes had been successful in evading the man, for from all he had heard he would find it no easy matter to hoodwink this big-hearted country doctor.
He made his first sortie as Miss Van Patten passed the door on her way with orders to the cook. She wore a small white apron as finely embroidered as a muslin kerchief. In her hand she held a pad and pencil. Any one could see with half a glance that she had no time to waste.
“Oh, Eleanor,” he exclaimed, rushing out.
At sound of her name she grew confused and stopped as short as though an emergency brake had been applied.
“I beg your pardon,” he stammered, not realizing until then the impetuosity of his attack. “I beg your pardon, but Alaska contains five hundred and eighty-six thousand square miles.”
“Really?”
“I thought you ought to know.”
“Perhaps I’d better write it down.”