Page:Caroline Lockhart--The full of the Moon.djvu/71

 each utterance with a nervous, deprecatory gesture, as though she had formed the habit through the constant necessity of excuses and explanations.

Beside her forceful brother her personality was nil, and she had a peculiarly helpless fashion of glancing at him after each speech, as though to read his verdict upon it in his eyes.

Spiser exerted himself to the utmost to be agreeable, and Nan was self-reproachful as she thought of her first impression—her unfair prejudice.

Certainly, it was very nice of Mr. Spiser to bring his sister to see her, and Mr. Spiser, aglow with the feeling that he was making a favorable impression, had an inspiration upon which he at once acted.

"Me and my sister," said Mr. Spiser, fumbling with the large gold nugget which dangled as a watch-fob from his waistcoat-pocket, "are plannin' to go out to the ranch and spend a couple of weeks, and we thought it ud be a good chance for you to go along and see somethin' of the country. No better scenery this side of Colorado than right there