“I gather that he is—ah—uninformed of the present arrangement,” he observed.
“That, I think, is of slight importance,” returned Miss India, “since by the time he arrives the house will be quite at his disposal.”
“You mean that you intend to move out?” asked the Major, anxiously.
“Most certainly! Do you think that I—that either Holly or I—would continue to remain under this roof a moment longer than necessary now that we know it belongs to a—a Northerner?”
“But he writes—he expresses himself like a gentleman, my dear lady, and I feel certain that he would be only too proud to have you remain here——”
“I have never yet seen a Northern gentleman, Major,” replied Miss India, contemptuously, “and until I do I refuse to believe in the existence of such an anomaly.”
The Major raised his hands in a gesture of helpless protestation.
“Madam, I had the honor of fighting the Northerners, and I assure you that many of them are gentlemen. Their ways are not ours, I grant you, nor are their manners, but——”
“That is a subject upon which, I recollect, you and my brother were never able to agree.”
The Major nodded ruefully. The momentary silence was broken at last by Miss India.