"Come, now, don't quarrel—and come in and take off your things."
"Oh, I can't," cried the volatile Fanny, laughing—"Ralph and myself just called by; we are past our time now. That horrid old Miss Sallianna will scold me, though she does talk about the beauties of nature—I wonder if she considers her front curls included!"
And Miss Fanny tossed her own, and laughed in defiance of the absent
Sallianna.
At the same moment the Squire came out with Mr. Rushton, and called to
Redbud. The young girl ran to him.
"Would you like a ride, little one?" said the Squire, "Miss Lavinia and myself are going to town."
"Oh, yes, sir!"
"But your visitors—"
"Fanny says she cannot stay."
Fanny ran up to speak for herself; and while Redbud hastened to her room to prepare for the ride, this young lady commenced a triangular duel with the Squire and Mr. Ralph, which caused a grim smile to light upon Mr. Rushton's face, for an instant, so to speak.
The carriage then drove up with its old greys, and Miss Lavinia and Redbud entered. Before rode the Squire and Mr. Rushton; behind, Ralph and Fanny.