“Hum! Mrs. Tracy used to keep you pretty strict, I suppose—never let you go out, did she?”
“O yes, we walked every day—an hour in the morning, and an hour after school at night; it was very pleasant, sometimes Mrs. Tracy would go with us, and sometimes—O, it was so pleasant!” and Lucy heaved a sigh as she concluded.
“I take it for granted you never saw any boys there, Lu, did you?”
Lucy blushed, and wondered what in the world possessed her father to talk so; at last she answered, very demurely:
“Why, father, it was a school for girls you know; it would have been very strange, I am sure, to have seen a set of rude boys in our pleasant school-room.”
“That is not what I mean, you little puss you—did any young men ever visit at Mrs. Tracy’s?”
“Mercy, no, Mrs. Tracy would not even let Edward invite—”
“Edward—who is Edward?”
“Mrs. Tracy’s nephew, father,” replied Lucy, stooping to tie her little slipper, which just at that particular moment it seemed necessary for her to attend to.
“Hum—and I suppose Edward walked with you, didn’t he?” said Mr. Leyton.