“Kind, I'm sure,” she answered, with distant politeness.
The path widened, and he walked by her side. “Have you noticed, Miss Thorne, that we have trouble every time we approach that seemingly innocent barrier? I think it would be better to keep away from it, don't you?”
“Perhaps.”
“What initials were those on the boulder? J. H. and—”
“J. B.”
“I thought so. 'J. B.' must have had a lot of spare time at his disposal, for his initials are cut into the 'Widder' Pendleton's gate post on the inner side, and into an apple tree in the back yard.”
“How interesting!”
“Did you know Joe and Hepsey were going out to-night?”
“No, I didn't—they're not my intimate friends.”
“I don't see how Joe expects to marry on the income derived from the village chariot.”