Matt laughed, showing his handsome teeth. "You may have to, first thing you know, for everybody round here is crazy about you, though they ain't gone to asylums yet!"
Undine could do no less than smile and blush at such a neat compliment. "It's a real nice place, Riverboro; the people are so pleasant."
"You like it, do you?" asked Matt with obvious eagerness.
Undine cooled suddenly. "Oh, yes! But I'm real quick at making myself at home wherever I am. I have to be, to get any variety out of life. Of course I can't afford to teach in such a small place as this very long."
Matt's face suddenly clouded. "I didn't think of that," he said, taking off his hat. "It is a small place for such as you, and I suppose Greenford is a real gay town—sociables, dances, and all that sort of thing?"
"Yes, Greenford is considered very lively, and there's a great deal of wealth there—the cotton mills, you know. Then I often go to Portland and Brunswick."
Mrs. Milliken suddenly appeared at the screen door. "Good-afternoon, Miss Berry. I'm baking a little something for supper and can't leave my oven. The kitchen's so hot I won't ask you inside, but if you an' Matthew'll set down under the big ellum, I'll bring you both out a try-cake in a minute."
"Oh, thank you, Mrs. Milliken, but I'm afraid I ought to be going. I'll be late to supper, as it is."
"You just set right down," called Mrs. Milliken, "an' I'll show you a one-egg cake that'll deceive you into thinkin' it's made with four, if it's et hot. Then Matt'll walk down as fur as the store with you and bring me back a can of baking-powder."
"He might as well see all there is to see in her, and know all there is to know, which is mighty little, or I miss my guess!" said the old lady to herself as she took a straw out of the broom to try the cake. "Mebbe then he'll get her out of his system; though them pink and white paper-doll girls do have a way of keepin' holt of men-folks."