“And now then, we will proceed,” said her father.
“What answer did you make when Junior said that you were his girl?”
“I told him I was not,” said Mahala promptly.
“And then what did Junior do?”
“He pulled me across the gate and tried to kiss me.”
“Ah!” said Mahlon Spellman. “Now we are getting at the meat of the matter. He tried to kiss you? And what did you do?”
“Pushed him away and wiped my face—what any one would do,” said Mahala.
“And then,” questioned Mahlon, “the brick?”
“Yes,” admitted Mahala, “the brick.”
“Now it happens,” said Mahlon, “that I picked up that piece of brick. Do you know where it came from?”