I rather fooled him, I guess." "How ?" "He told me to go home and change my clothes, and then go to meeting; but I came here instead." "Why did you do that ?" "To see you, of course." "Pooh, as if I was anything to look at." "Well, you are, Carlia," and his eyes rested steadily on her to prove his contention.

"Why didn't you want to go to meeting this evening ?" "You heard me tell father." "That wasn't the whole truth.

I was not the reason because you had decided not to go before I came." "Well--how do you know that?
but, anyway, it's none of your business, where I go, is it ?" She made an effort to stare him out of countenance, but it ended in lowered head and eyes.
"Carlia! No, of course, it isn't.

Excuse me for asking." There was another period of silence wherein Dorian again wondered at the girl's strange behavior.

Was he annoying her?
Perhaps she did not care to have him paying his crude attentions to her; and yet-- "Tell me about your dry farm," she said.
"I've already plowed eighty acres," he informed her.