Page:Stanwood Pier--The ancient grudge.djvu/98

Rh "Now, don't you go to putting any such nonsense into her mind," said Mrs. Bell sharply. "Not that she'd be weak-headed enough to believe it."

"Stranger things have happened," insisted the neighbor, while Floyd, lying in the dark, scowled and muttered about the foolishness of women. "’Tain't every girl neither that has Letty's chance. And if she's the smart one I take her to be, she's making the best of her opportunities."

Floyd lost Mrs. Bell's answer, but that it was emphatic he judged from the way in which she spattered the plank walk. Then as she eased the stream off upon the grass, he heard the other woman say in a conciliatory voice, "Oh, well, I was just suggestin' it as a pleasant possibility. And as for Hugh Farrell, I was just thinking that Saturday night is a bad time for him to be staying away from her he's keeping company with. But of course if she don't mind—"

"The cat!" thought Floyd. Mrs. Bell preserved silence.

"I wonder," said the neighbor's voice, with a wheedling accent, "if I'm ever to get to meet Mr. Halket? It does seem as though living next door— Do tell me, Mrs. Bell; what like is he?"

"Why, he's a real nice fellow," said Mrs. Bell. "And my, how fond he is of all kinds of preserves! I never seen anybody with such a taking for 'em."

"Ain't that interestin'!" exclaimed the neighbor. "But then your put-up things is always so good, Mrs. Bell; 'tain't really a wonder."

"Well, he certainly does enjoy them. And he ain't stuck up neither; my goodness, it does seem hard sometimes to realize that he ain't just one of us."

"He ain't actually different, then, from other boarders?"

"Why, no; don't seem as if he was now. He has some habits, of course—must always take a bath when he comes