"Yes," she said brightly, not perceiving that his intention was
humorous. "All the rest of the time he's really very amiable. Of
course, he's much more a perfect child, the whole time, than he
realizes! He certainly behaved awfully to-night." She jumped up, her
indignation returning. "He did, indeed, and it won't do to encourage
him in it. I think he'll find me pretty cool--for a week or so!"
Whereupon her father suffered a renewal of his attack of uproarious
laughter.
Chapter XI
In the matter of coolness, George met Lucy upon her own predetermined
ground; in fact, he was there first, and, at their next encounter,
proved loftier and more formal than she did. Their estrangement
lasted three weeks, and then disappeared without any preliminary
treaty: it had worn itself out, and they forgot it.
At times, however, George found other disturbances to the friendship.
Lucy was "too much the village belle," he complained; and took a
satiric attitude toward his competitors, referring to them as her
"local swains and bumpkins," sulking for an afternoon when she
reminded him that he, too, was at least "local.
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