the right girl. What?" His mother, relieved
by his returned complacence, became voluble with reassurances; and
Geraldine, seeing that Rufus's hand was approaching her arm, hastily
slid into her chair and he took the opposite place.

"Didn't I tell you we'd make up for the lunch that great porpoise
cheated us out of yesterday?" he said in high good-humor.

Geraldine's desolate heart yearned after the kind friend so soon lost.

"That'll do, Ma. I guess the grub's all on the table. Go chase yourself.
Miss Melody'll pour my coffee."

"Don't wash any of the dishes, Mrs. Carder, please, until I get out
there," said Geraldine.

The old woman disappeared with one last glance at her son whom Geraldine
eyed with sudden steadiness.

He smiled at her with semi-toothless fondness.

"Give me my coffee, little girl. I'm famished. Isn't this jolly--just
you and me?"

Geraldine poured the coffee and handed him the cup; then she spoke
impressively.

"Mr. Carder, this is the last time this must happen. I refuse to sit
down and make a waitress of your old mother. If you insist on showing
her no consideration, I shall go away from here at once."

Her companion laughed, quietly, but with genuine amusement and
admiration.

"By ginger," he said, "when you're mad, you're the handsomest thing
above ground. Go away! That's a good one. Don't I tell you, you can do
anything with me?" The speaker paused to drink his coffee noisily,
keeping his eyes on the exquisite, stiff little mouth opposite him. "I
know I ain't any dandy to look at. I've been too busy rollin' up the
money that's goin' to make you go on velvet the rest o' your days:
you're welcome to change all that, too. Yes, indeed. Never fear. When we
do over the house we're goin' to do over yours truly, too. I'll do
exactly as you say and you can turn me out a fashion plate that'll be
hard to beat."

"I'm not interested in turning you out a fashion plate," returned
Geraldine coldly. "I'm interested in making the lot of your mother
easier, that is all."

Rufus regarded her thoughtfully and nodded. It penetrated his brain that
he had been going too fast with this disdainful beauty. He rather
admired her for her disdain; it added zest to the certainty of her
capitulation.

"Have it your own way, little girl," he said leniently. "I know you're
tired, still. You're not eatin'. Eat a good supper and to-night take
another long sleep and to-morrow everything will look different."