Page:Leah Reed--Brenda's summer at Rockley.djvu/312

294 really taken a great fancy to him. He isn’t half bad.”

“Dear me!” cried Brenda, “what flattery for my brother-in-law-to-be. I must tell Agnes. It will quite turn her head.”

“Oh, there now!” remonstrated Philip, “you must n’t take up every word I say. You know what I mean.”

“Yes, of course she does,” interposed Julia, “I wish that Ruth were near enough to be here to-morrow. There ’ll be quite a gathering of the clans.”

“I know some one else who would second your wish,” said Tom Hearst, gazing mischievously at Will, who reddened at the words, after a habit which he detested in  himself. It seemed to him so foolish that a young man of his age should blush.

“Oh, yes,” said Brenda, “Ruth was n’t so bad after one got to know her.”

At these extraordinary words. Will started as if he would like to argue with her, and even Julia seemed surprised at  Brenda’s tone, until, looking toward her, she perceived a  sly smile on her face that showed that she had not uttered  the words in earnest. The return of some of Mrs. Barlow’s guests, including the two younger girls, from a walk to the  beach, put an end to the personal discussion, and soon the  party of young people went out to the piazza, where, with  their chairs arranged in a large semicircle, they passed a  merry hour together. At length, when the three sophomores, or rather juniors, took their leave, Julia said, in an aside to Philip, “Now you won’t play any tricks, will you,