Part 45 (2/2)
”You have made me very happy, Cap'n Kendrick,” she declared. ”I can't thank you enough.”
He shook his head, but before he could reply there came a sharp knock on the outer door, the back door of the house.
”Who on earth is that?” exclaimed Sears. Then he shouted, ”Come in.”
The person who came in was George Kent.
”Why, George!” said Elizabeth. Then she added. ”What is it? What is the matter?”
The young man looked as if something was the matter. His expression was not at all pleasant.
”Evenin', George,” said the captain. ”Glad to see you. Sit down.”
Kent ignored both the invitation and the speaker.
”Look here,” he demanded, addressing Miss Berry: ”do you know what time it is? It is ten o'clock.”
His tone was so rude--so boyishly rude--that Sears looked up quickly and Elizabeth drew back.
”It's nearly ten o'clock,” repeated Kent. ”And you are over here.”
”George!” exclaimed Sears, sharply.
”You are over here--with him--again.”
It was Elizabeth who spoke now. She said but one word.
”Well?” she asked.
There was an icy chill about that ”Well?” which a more cautious person that George Kent might have noticed and taken as a warning. But the young man was far from cautious at that moment.
”_Well?_” he repeated hotly. ”I don't think it's well at all. I come see you and--I find you over here. And I find that every one else knows you are here. And they think it queer, too; I could see that they did.... Of course, I don't say----”
”I think you have said enough. I came here to talk with Cap'n Kendrick on a business matter. I told mother where I was going when I left the house. The others heard me, I suppose; I certainly did not try to conceal it. Why should I?”
”Why should you? Why, you should because--because---- Well, if you don't know why you shouldn't be here, he does.”
”He? Cap'n Kendrick?”
”Yes. I--I told him why, myself. Only this noon I told him. I was here and I told him people were beginning to talk about you and he being together so much and--and his taking you to ride, and all that sort of thing. I told him he ought to be more careful of appearances. I said of course you didn't think, but he ought to. I explained that----”
”Stop!” Her face was crimson and she was breathing quickly. ”Do you mean to say that--that people are talking--are saying things about--about....
What people?”
”Oh--oh, different ones. Of course they don't say anything much--er--not yet. But if we aren't careful they will. You see----”
”Wait. Are they--are they saying that--that---- Oh, it is _too_ wicked and foolish to speak! Are they saying that Cap'n Kendrick and I----”
Sears spoke. ”Hush, hush, Elizabeth!” he begged. ”They aren't sayin'
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