"Barb, you'll have to take care of Mr. Fair to-day, I reckon. You might take my horse, sir. I'll be too busy indoors to use him."
The girl and her cavalier took but a short gallop. They had nearly got back to the grove gate when he ventured upon a personal speech; but it was only to charge her with the art of blundering cleverly.
She assured him that her blunders were all nature and her art accident. "Whenever I want to be witty I get into a hurry, and haste is the an-ti-dote of wit."
"Miss Garnet," he thought, as her eyes rested calmly in his, "your gaze is too utterly truthful."
"Ah!" said Barbara, "here's Mr. March now."
Fair wished he might find out why Miss Garnet should be out-man[oe]uvring her father.
XXXI.
MR. FAIR VENTURES SOME INTERROGATIONS
The air was full of joy that morning, and John boyishly open and hearty.