He laughed as he spoke; but his tone provoked her. She threw up her head a little, suddenly grave.
'Of course we know that you dislike us.'
He showed a certain embarrassment.
'How do you know?'
'Oh!—we read what you said of us.'
'I was badly reported,' he said, smiling.
'No,'—she insisted. 'But you were mistaken in a great many things—very, very much mistaken. You judged much too quickly.'
He rose, a covert amusement playing round his lips. It was the indulgence of the politician and man of affairs towards the little backwoods girl who was setting him to rights.
'We must have it out,' he said, 'I see I shall have to defend myself. But now I fear Mrs. Burgoyne will be waiting for me.'
And lifting his hat with the somewhat stately and excessive manner, which he could always substitute at the shortest notice for brusquerie or inattention, he went his way.