“I reckon he does, too!” said Mrs. Livingstone, with a peculiar smile, which nettled ’Lena more than any open attack would have done.
With the exception of his mother, John Jr. was the last to leave the parlor, and when all the rest were gone, Mrs. Livingstone seized her opportunity for telling him what she had heard. Taking a light from the table, he was about retiring, when she said, “I learned some news to-day which a little surprised me.”
“Got it from Mother Atkins, I suppose,” answered John, still advancing toward the door.
“Partly from her, and partly from others,” said his mother, adding, as she saw him touch the door-knob, “It’s about Nellie Douglass.”
This was sufficient to arrest his attention, and turning about, he asked, “What of her?”
“Why, nothing of any great consequence, as I know of,” said Mrs. Livingstone, “only people in Frankfort think she’s going to be married.”
“I think so, too,” was John’s mental reply, while his verbal one was, “Married! To whom?”
“Did you ever hear her speak of Mary Wilbur?”
“Yes, she’s been staying with her ever since Mrs. Graham’s party.”
“Well, Mary it seems has a brother, a rich old bachelor, who they say is very attentive to Nellie. He came home with her from Madison, staying at her father’s the rest of the week, and paying her numberless attentions, which——”