FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153  
154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   >>   >|  
Can you spare a few minutes to talk to me?" "Why, of course," said Carrie, and Bernard waited until she sat down. Although he thought she knew his importance, she was not anxious to please him; but she did not assert her independence. The girl had an ease of manner he approved and, if she remained at Langrigg, would soon acquire the touch of polish she needed. But he pulled himself up. In the meantime, he was going too fast. "I understand you nursed Jim once before," he said. "Did you not use your authority to keep him in the house this morning?" "I did not," Carrie replied, with a twinkle. "Looks as if you didn't know Jim yet! Besides, if you have some authority, you don't want to strain it." "That is no doubt true," Bernard agreed. None of his relations had so far disputed his firm rule, but he knew when it was prudent not to exercise his power. "You are a philosopher," he went on. "It is sometimes an advantage to use a light hand." "Jim can be led." Bernard bowed. "I imagine you have led him where he ought to go." "I wonder!" said Carrie, with thoughtful frankness. "The trouble is, I don't know much and only understand simple things. Still, perhaps, I did lead him in the woods. The right way was generally plain there. But at Langrigg----" "You're sometimes puzzled?" Bernard suggested. "Well, we are all puzzled now and then, and perhaps to trust your instincts is a good plan. This, however, is not advice I would give to everybody." Carrie said nothing. She liked Bernard and was not afraid of him. He talked to her with the politeness of the old school and when he looked amused she thought his amusement was good-humored. "Jim was under the car when you got to the spot, I think," he resumed. "You had some trouble to lift it." "Lance really lifted the car at the dangerous moment, though the others helped. He saw the wheel was slipping; they were all in the ditch." "Then who pulled Jim out?" "I did," said Carrie, with a touch of embarrassment. Bernard pondered. Lance had not told him about this and it was possible he had an object for not doing so. "Well," he said, "I expect Jim has had other accidents; as you remarked, he is that kind of man. Did he get hurt when you were with him in the woods?" "He took some chances now and then, but he did not get hurt much." "Although he came near it? I heard something about your going to his rescue one night with a gun." C
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153  
154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Bernard
 

Carrie

 

authority

 
understand
 

trouble

 

puzzled

 

Langrigg

 

pulled

 

thought

 

Although


humored

 
amusement
 

looked

 
dangerous
 
school
 

amused

 

resumed

 

lifted

 

politeness

 

afraid


instincts

 

waited

 

advice

 

moment

 

talked

 
accidents
 

remarked

 

chances

 

rescue

 

expect


minutes

 

slipping

 
helped
 

object

 

embarrassment

 

pondered

 

manner

 

strain

 

Besides

 

remained


approved
 
disputed
 

relations

 

agreed

 

meantime

 
nursed
 

needed

 
acquire
 
twinkle
 

replied