"The minister's talk's very interestin'," whispered Mrs. Carpenter in her ear.
"Not to me," said Mrs. Starling, wilfully misunderstanding. "Some folks thinks so, I know. I can't somehow never get along with him."
"And Diana sha'n't," was her inward resolve; "but she can't be thinkin' of the other feller."
As if to try the question, at the moment, Mrs. Reverdy appeared at the top of the steps, just as the minister and Diana got to the foot of them. She was in high glee, for her party was going off nicely, and the tables were just preparing for supper.
"We want nothing now but Evan," she said with her unfailing laugh. "Miss Starling, don't you think he might have come for this afternoon, just to see so many friends?"
Diana never knew where she got the coolness to answer, "How long a journey is it, Mrs. Reverdy?"
"O, I don't know! How far is it, Mr. Masters?—a thousand miles?—or two thousand? I declare I have no idea. But love laughs at distances, they say."
"Is Cupid a contractor on this road?" inquired the minister gravely.
"A contractor!" exclaimed Mrs. Reverdy, laughing, "oh, dear, what a funny idea! I never thought of putting it so. But I didn't know but Miss Starling could tell us."
"Do you know anything about it, Miss Diana?" asked the minister.