"Oh! do forgive me," Polly sprang after him, to call.
He turned and tried to smile, then walked off, leaving Polly standing in the lane.
* * * * *
"Jasper," said Mrs. Cabot in great irritation, when Jasper and Phronsie wandered into Mrs. Farmer Higby's neat kitchen a half-hour later, with torn garments and muddy shoes, "they got home while you were away, and that tiresome Mr. Loughead came a little before them; and he made Polly go to walk with him; actually made her!" Mrs. Cabot leaned her jeweled hands on Mrs. Higby's spotless pine table, and regarded him in great distress.
Jasper bent his broad straw hat over the basket of fish a minute.
"Oh!" screamed Phronsie, clapping grimy little hands and darting off, "have they come?"
"My! what a sight of fish," exclaimed Mrs. Higby, getting down on her knees before the basket. "Now I s'pose you want some fried for dinner, don't you, Mr. Jasper?"
"Yes," said Jasper, bringing his gaze off from the fish, "I think they better be, Mrs. Higby," and he went out of the kitchen without looking at Mrs. Cabot.
Up at the head of the stairs he ran against Jack Loughead.
"It's all against me, King," said Jack unsteadily.