“Well, a girl doesn’t have to play fair—if she doesn’t want. Anyhow, you’re not the boy I’d marry even if we were grown up. You aren’t handsome! You’re nothing but an ordinary little freckle-faced frump.”
“Then why—did you let—me kiss you——”
“Oh, just because I liked it. And even so, you didn’t care enough to come with me into the water and save me from getting all wet. And—and—I hate you and I’m going to Rutland to spend the summer next week and then I’m going to private school down to Mt. Hadley in the fall. My mother said so. She heard about what happened at the picnic. She said I wasn’t going to stay around Paris and get mixed up with the son of any village cobbler. I’m too high-class. Now you get out of my way or I’ll yell for help!”
“You’re goin’ away and I’m never goin’ to see you any more?”
“I am. And I’m tickled to death to forget you!”
When Nathan could see through his misery, the girl had vanished.
V
The following Sunday, tramping out on the Wickford road, Nathan beheld a two-seated Concord buggy drawn by a well-lathered horse climbing the hill toward him.
The Dresden Doll, never so dainty, or frilled or furbelowed, sat in the front seat beside a fellow whom Nathan had never seen. The Carver girl with another young stranger occupied the back seat.
Stopping aghast, Nathan looked directly into the Gridley girl’s eye.