“She did,” said the Honorable Truman.
“Why,” stammered Infant, “how could you believe it?”
“I was a hot-headed boy with more pride than sense. I wouldn’t say anything to you about it.”
“I remember your quarreling with the Piersons.”
“Weren’t you engaged to one of them?”
“No; which one?”
“Abner.”
“I never was engaged to anybody except you,” she retorted, burning hotly in the face, “and I did not admire that experience when you dropped me and went off. And I don’t yet, though you do lay the blame on poor Rilla.”
Plenty of time had Rilla for all the domestic countermarching she wished to perform before that conference by the fence ended. Unusually stirring were her tactics too, for all the Robbs were haled up from the tenant-house—Mrs. Robb to cook a supper, and the young Robbs not actually farming to run on errands.
It was six o’clock when Enos came riding his plough-horses to the great barn. He had turned off early on purpose to intercept Miss Infant and find out what changes were to be made. Infant hastened up the orchard, while the Honorable Truman hastened to the same destination by the road. She saw him leading his horse up the avenue, and felt impatient at Enos Robb’s interruption.