Mrs. Busby opened her eyes. "Is not everything that, Mr. Southwode?"
"I should answer 'no,' if I answered."
"Please answer, because I am very much in earnest; and I like to drive every question to the bottom. Give me an instance to the contrary."
"When you tell Miss Antoinette, for example, to put on india rubbers when she goes out in the wet, is she to exercise her reason upon the thickness of the soles of her boots?"
"Yes," cried the young lady referred to; "of course I am! India rubbers are horrid things anyhow; do you think I am going to put them on with boots an inch thick?"
Mr. Southwode turned his eyes upon her with one of his grave smiles. Mrs.
Busby seemed to ponder the subject.
"Is it raining to-night, Mr. Southwode?" Antoinette went on.
"Yes."
"How provoking! then I can't go out. Mr. Southwode, you never took me anywhere, to see anything."
"True, I believe," he answered. "How could I ask Mrs. Busby to trust me with the care of such an article?"