"Mary, you are not afraid of him!" said Käthchen.
It was but a momentary irresolution, of which she was instantly ashamed; she continued on her way; nay, she went boldly up to him, and past him, and said "Good morning!" as she went by.
"Good morning!" said he—and he raised his cap: that was all.
Then, after a second of vacillation and embarrassment, Mary turned—he was barely a couple of yards distant.
"Mr. Ross," said she, "I suppose you—you heard of what happened at Ru-Minard."
"Yes, I am sorry you should have been troubled," he said, in a formal kind of way.
"But they have built up the huts again!" she exclaimed. "And I suppose the people here will go back and burn them down, and there will be riot after riot—never ending!"
He did not answer her: indeed, there was no question to answer. And Käthchen, standing a little bit apart, was watching these two with the keenest interest; and she was saying to herself—"Well, she has met her match at last. She has been all-conquering hitherto; every man who has come near her has been all complaisance and humility and gratitude for a smile or a friendly look; but this one—this one is as proud as herself! And what will she do?—become angry and indignant, and astonish my young Lord Arrogance? Or become humbly submissive, and beg for a little favour and consideration?—and Mary Stanley, of all people!"
Mary regarded the young man, and seeing that he did not speak, she said—
"A never-ending series of riots, is that what it is coming to? And if not, what is to be done? What am I to do?"