She made him sit down in the hammock at the far end, however, and insisted on herself taking the little rocker quite near the front door. She knew her father would soon be returning from some parish calls and would relieve her, so she settled herself with the bit of linen she was hemstitching and prepared to make the best of it.
“It's a shame my car is out of commission yet,” began Laurie settling back in the hammock and by some strange miracle refraining from lighting a cigarette. It wouldn't have entered his head that Lynn would have minded. He didn't know any girls objected to smoking. But this girl interested him strangely. He wasn't at all sure but it was a case of love at first sight. He had always been looking for that to happen to him. He hoped it had. It would be such a delightful experience. He had tried most of the other kinds.
“Yes, it is too bad for you to be held up in your journey this way,” sympathized Lynn heartily, “but father says the blacksmith is going to fix you up by to-morrow he hopes. Those bearings will likely come to-night.”
“Oh, but it has been a dandy experience. I'm certainly glad it happened. Think what I should have missed all my life, not knowing you!”
He paused and looked soulfully at Lynn waiting for an appreciative glance from her fully occupied eyes, but Lynn seemed to have missed the point entirely:
“I should think you might have well afforded to lose the experience of being held up in a dull little town that couldn't possibly be of the slightest interest to you,” she said dryly, with the obvious idea of making talk.
“Oh, but I think it is charming,” he said lightly! “I hadn't an idea there was such a place in the world as this. It's ideal, don't you know, so secluded and absolutely restful. I'm having a dandy time, and you people have been just wonderful to me. I think I shall come back often if you'll let me.”
“I can't imagine your enjoying it,” said Lynn looking at him keenly, “It must be so utterly apart from your customary life. It must seem quite crude and almost uncivilized to you.”
“That's just it, it's so charmingly quaint. I'm bored to death with life as I'm used to it. I'm always seeking for a new sensation, and I seem to have lighted on it here all unexpectedly. I certainly hope my car will be fixed by morning. If it isn't I'll telegraph for my man and have him bring down some bearings in one of the other cars and fix me up. I'm determined to take you around a bit and have you show me the country. I know it would be great under your guidance.”
“Thank you,” said Lynn coolly, “But I haven't much time for pleasuring just now, and you will be wanting to go on your way—”