"If you don't feel that…."
She shrugged her shoulders.
It wasn't to be done, he assured her, with the best will in the world. There was an investigation in which he had to help the county-physician. A small farmer had died suddenly of what did not seem an entirely natural death. "I suppose," he continued, "one of those love philtres was used with which superfluous people are put under ground there. It's horrible that a decent person has to live among such creatures. If you don't care to do it, I can hardly blame you." She had grown pale and smiled weakly. She restrained him no longer.
"I'll be back in a week," he said, slipping on his goloshes, "and then we can announce the engagement."
She nodded several times but made no reply.
The door was opened and he leaned toward her. Calmly she touched his lips with hers.
"You might have the announcement cards printed," he called cheerfully from the stairs.
Then he disappeared….
"Is the new uncle gone?" Amanda asked. She was sitting in her little room, busy with her lessons. He had forgotten her.
The mother nodded.