Page:Leah Reed--Brenda's summer at Rockley.djvu/34

20 with scarlet geraniums and nasturtiums. There were strips of muslin over the narrow glass windows at each side  of the front door, and muslin blinds at the other front  windows. Brenda might not herself have been able to give quite so accurate a description of the house as I have  given. But she received a very definite impression that the people who lived in it must be rather superior to their  neighbors from the fact that they had taken so much trouble to make their dwelling neat and attractive.

“Here is the pump, Miss—” the strange girl had returned.

“Oh, Brenda; every one calls me Brenda.”

“Well, my name is Amy,” said the other girl; “let me pump that tire for you.”

“Oh, thank you,” and Brenda held the cap of the valve in her hand, while the other girl stooped over, and attaching the pump, worked it with considerable force.

The operation was not a long one, and the wheel was soon ready for use.

“I hope that we shall meet again,” said Brenda politely, before mounting to the saddle.

“Why, yes,” said Amy, without much cordiality, “I hope so.”

“I live just over there on the hill,” continued Brenda, “I should be glad to have you come to see me some time.”

“We have nothing to do with the summer residents,” said Amy.

Brenda felt snubbed. It was unusual for any one to slight an invitation of hers.