Like most quiet folks he liked talkative people when they were willing to do the talking themselves and did not expect him to keep up his end of it.

But he had never expected to enjoy the society of a little girl.

Women were bad enough in all conscience, but little girls were worse.

He detested the way they had of sidling past him timidly, with sidewise glances, as if they expected him to gobble them up at a mouthful if they ventured to say a word.

That was the Avonlea type of well-bred little girl.