"
"Wall, wall, ma, shet the door if ye want to, I've no objections to
havin' the door shet----and we had an old hoss, teacher. Lordy, how lean
he was, lean as a skate, and----"
"Bijonah Keeler!"
"Yis, yis, I'm a comin', ma, I'm a comin'." And wonderful indeed, I
thought must have been the tale, which, even under these exasperating
circumstances, kept Grandpa's face a-grin as he ran and shuffled towards
the door.
The door was quickly closed behind him by other hands than his own, and
then I observed that Lovell's chair had been drawn into frightfully close
proximity to his gun.
"I--I think it's pleasanter, that is--I--I sometimes think it's warmer
for t-t-two in a sleigh, than--a--'tis--for one, don't you, Miss
Hungerford?" said Lovell, and gasped for breath and continued; "Now, I
think of it, you--you wouldn't think of such a thing as going to ride
with me to-night, would you, Miss Hungerford? You--you wouldn't think of
such a thing, would you now?"
"Why--if you are kind enough to invite me to go sleigh-riding with you,
Mr. Barlow?"
"_I_ think so;" said Lovell, grasping his gun, and becoming immediately
pale, though composed.
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