Page:George Weston--The apple-tree girl.djvu/96

 to be ready for anything!" Then out she'd go and "fight it off" till her cheeks glowed with that satisfaction which comes from work well done, and her eyes were bright with the victory of the spirit which never says "Oh, I can't!"

After the first burst of wonder, her golf was taken as a matter of course in the village. Nay, more: it was openly defended. "A girl of that age has to have suthin' to put her mind on," said old Dame Johnson one afternoon, nodding her head with the wisdom of her seventy-five years. "And me, I'd ruther see her traipsin' around after that little white ball than running around after some wuthless young fellow who'd marry her out of hand and move her away afore you could say 'Jack Robinson!’"

"She don't have to run after the young fellows," said the coquettish Miss Hawley, holding out her ear trumpet.