“I believe I have been talking you both blue,” said Jasper, with a laugh.
“You certainly have,” said Clare, laughing too.
And then Cathie laughed, and Polly Pepper, looking over, beamed at her, for she had begun to be worried.
“The best thing in the world,” said old Mr. King, “was to turn her over to those two boys. Now, don't give her another thought, Polly; she'll get on.”
And she did; so well, that before long, she and Clare were chatting away merrily; and Cathie felt it was by no means such a very terrible experience to be sitting between two boys at a play; and by the time the evening was half over, she was sure that she liked it very much.
And Polly beamed at her more than ever, and Jasper felt quite sure that he had never enjoyed an evening more than the one at present flying by so fast. And old Mr. King, so handsome and stately, showed such evident pride in his young charges, as he smiled and chatted, that more than one old friend in the audience commented on it.
“Did you ever see such a change in any one?” asked a dowager, levelling her keen glances from her box down upon the merry party.
“Never; it was the one thing needed to make him quite perfect,” said another one of that set. “He is approachable now—absolutely fascinating, so genial and courteous.”
“His manners were perfect before,” said a third member of the box party, “except they needed thawing out—a bit too icy.”
“You are too mild. I should say they were quite frozen. He never seemed to me to have any heart.”