Phoebe Deane (Romance Classic). Grace Livingston Hill
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me, Mr. Green ? " said Phoebe, her clear eyes looking at him steadily over the candle-light, with the bearing of a queen.
" Well, yes," he said, straightening up, and hitching a chair around to the side nearer to her. "I thought we better talk that matter over a little that I was mentioning to you several nights ago."
" I don't think that is necessary, Mr. Green," answered Phoebe, quickly; " I thought I made you understand that that was impossible."
" Oh, I didn't take account of what you said that night," said Hiram. " I saw you was sort of upset, not expecting me out there in the dark, so I thought I better come round again after you had plenty chance to think over what I said."
" I couldn't say anything different if I thought over it a thousand years," declared Phoebe, with characteristic emphasis. Hiram Green was not thin-skinned, and did not need saving. It was just as well to tell the truth and be done with it.
But the fellow was in no wise daunted. He rather admired Phoebe the more for her vehemence, for here was a prize that promised to be worth his winning. For the first time as he looked at her he felt his blood stir with a sense of pleasure such as one feels in a well matched race, where one is yet sure of winning.
" Aw, git out! " scouted Hiram, pleasantly. " That ain't the way to talk. Course you're young yet, and ain't had much experience, but you certainly had time enough to consider the matter all this year I been comin' to see you."
Phoebe arose with two red spots burning on her cheeks.
" Coming to see me! " she gasped. " You didn't come to see me! "
" Aw, git out now, Phoebe. You needn't pretend you didn't know I was comin' to see you. Who did you s'pose I was comin' to see, then ? "
" I supposed of course you were coming to see Albert," said Phoebe, her voice settling into that deep calm that betokened she was overwhelmed.
"Albert! You s'posed I was comin' to see Albert every night! Aw, yes, you did a whole lot! Phoebe, you're a sly one. You must of thought I was gettin' fond of Albert! "
" I did not think anything about it," said Phoebe, haughtily, " and you may be sure, Mr. Green, if I had dreamed of such a thing I would have told you it was useless."
There was something in her tone and manner that ruffled the self-assurance of Hiram Green. Up to this minute he had persuaded himself that Phoebe was but acting the part of a coy and modest maiden who wished to pretend that she never dreamed that he was courting her. Now a suspicion began to glimmer in his consciousness that perhaps, after all, she was honest, and had not suspected his attentions. Could it be possible that she did not care for them, and really wished to dismiss him? Hiram could not credit such a thought. Yet as he looked at the firm set of her lips he was bewildered.
" What on the earth makes you keep sayin' that ?" he asked, in an irritated tone. " What's your reason for not wantin' to marry me ? "
" There are so many reasons that I wouldn't know where to begin," answered the girl, shortly.
Hiram gave his shoulders a little shake, as if to rouse himself. Had he heard her words aright?
" What reasons ? " he growled, frowning. He began to feel that Phoebe was trifling with him. He would make her understand that he would not endure much of that.
Phoebe looked troubled. She wished he would not insist on further talk, but she was too honest and too angry not to tell the exact truth.
" The first and greatest reason of all is that I do not love you, and never could," she said, vehemently, looking him straight in the eyes.
" Shucks!" said Hiram, laughing. " I don't mind that a mite. In fact, I think it's an advantage. Folks mostly get over it when they do feel that sentimental kind of way. It don't last but a few weeks, anyhow, and it's better to begin on a practical basis I think. That was the trouble with Annie, she was so blamed sentimental she hadn't time to get dinner. I think you an' I'd get along much better. You're practical and a good worker. We could make things real prosperous over to the farm——"
Phoebe arose quickly and interrupted him.
" Mr. Green, you must please stop talking this way. It is horrible! I don't want to listen to any more of it."
" You set down, Phoebe," commanded Hiram. " I've got some things to tell you. It ain't worth while fer you to act foolish. I mean business. I want to get married. It's high time there was somebody to see to things at home, but I can wait a little while if you're wantin' to get ready more, only don't be long about it. As I said, I don't mind about the love part. That'll come all right. And you remember, Phoebe, if I do say so as shouldn't, there's plenty of girls around here would be glad to marry me if they got the chance."
" Then by all means let them marry you!" said Phoebe, grandly, steadying her trembling limbs for flight. " I shall never, never marry you! Good-night, Mr. Green."
She swept him a ceremonious bit of courtesy at the door, like a flutter of wings as a bird takes affright, and was gone before he fully took it in. He reached out detaining hands towards her in protest, but it was too late. The latch clicked behind her, and he could hear the soft stir of her garments on the stairs. She had fled to her room. He heard the button on her door creak and turn. He unfolded his lank limbs from their comfortable pose around the legs of his chair, and went after her as far as the door, but the stairway was quiet and dark. He could hear Albert and Emmeline in the kitchen. He stood a moment in puzzled chagrin, going over his interview and trying to make it all out. What mistake had he made? He had failed, that was certain. It was a new experience and one that angered him, but somehow the anger was numbed by the remembrance of the look of the girl's eyes, the dainty movements of her hands, the set of her shapely head. He did not know that he was fascinated by her beauty; he only knew that a dogged determination to have her for his own in spite of everything was settling down upon him.
Albert and Emmeline were conversing in low tones in the kitchen when the door was flung open and Hiram Green stepped in, his brow dark, his eyes sullen. He felt that Emmeline owed him some explanation of Phoebe’s behavior. He had come for it.
" I can't make her out!" he muttered, as he flung himself into a kitchen chair, "she's just for all the world like a wild colt. When you think you have her she gives you the slip and is off further away than when you begun. I think maybe if I had her where she couldn't get away I'd be able to find out the difficulty."
" Better take her out riding," suggested Albert, slyly, "and drive fast. She couldn't get out very well then."
" I ain't so sure," growled Hiram " the way she looked she might jump over a precipice. What's the matter with her anyway ?" turning to Emmeline, as though she were responsible for the whole of womankind. " Is there anybody else ? She ain't got in with Hank Williams, has she ? "
" She won't look at him," declared Emmeline, positively. " He tried to get to go to singin'-school with her just to-day and she shut him off short. What reason did she give you ? "
" She spoke about not havin' proper affection," he answered, diffidently, "but if I was dead sure that was the hull trouble I think I could fix her up. I'd like to get things settled 'fore winter comes on. I can't afford to waste time like this."
" I think I know what's the matter of her," said Emmeline, mysteriously. " She isn't such a fool as to give up a good chance in life for reasons of affection, though it is, mighty high-soundin' to say so. But there's somethin' back of it all. I shouldn't wonder, Hiram, if she's tryin' you to see if you want her enough to fix things handy the way she'd like em."
" What do you mean ?" asked Hiram, gruffly, showing sudden interest. " Has she spoke of anything to you ? "
"Well, she did let on that your house was too far back from the street to be pleasant, and she seemed to think the barn had the best situation. She spoke about the knoll being a good place fer a house."
Hiram brightened. If Phoebe had taken interest in his affairs to say all this surely she was not so indifferent after all.
" You don't say! " said Hiram, meditatively. " When did she say that?"
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