For a moment Northrup felt again the weakening desire to follow this advice, but, as he thought on, his chin set in a fixed way that meant that he was not going to move on, but stay where he was. He meant, also, to get what he could from this strange creature who had sought him out. He convinced himself that it was legitimate, and since he meant to get at the bottom of what was going on, he must use what came to hand.
“So Larry has come back?” he asked indifferently. Then: “I’ve caught sight of him from a distance. Good-looking fellow, this Larry of yours, Jan-an.”
“He ain’t mine. If he was–––” Jan-an looked mutinous and Northrup laughed.
“See here, you!” The girl was irritated by the laugh. “Larry, he thinks that Mary-Clare has set eyes on yer before yer came that day. Larry is making ructions, and folks are talking.”
“Well, that’s ridiculous.” Northrup found his heart beating a bit quicker.
“I know it is, but Maclin can make Larry think anything. Honest to God, yer ain’t siding ’long of Maclin?”
“Honest to God, Jan-an, I’m not.”
“Then why did yer stumble in on us that way?”
“I don’t know, Jan-an. That’s honest to God, too!”
“Then if nothing is mattering ter yer, and one place is as good as another, why don’t you go along?”