The rain, which I expected would follow the squall, did not come until late that night, and it was still falling heavily the next morning.It was a warm rain, however, and, after breakfast, Iwalked up to the village.I said nothing, even to Mother, about the happenings in the bay, and Dorinda, who had asked many sarcastic questions concerning the state of my blue trousers--if Ihad "mistook 'em for a bathin' suit" and the like--seemed satisfied with my hurried explanation that I had gotten overboard."Though how you fell in feet fust," she observed, "I don't see." She had mended my brown pair, sitting up until after two to do so.
Lute informed me that he had been up to the post-office.
"Everybody's talkin' about them Coltons," he declared."I see their automobile last night, myself.The Colton girl, she come into the store.My! she's a stunner, ain't she! Sim waited on her, himself, and gave her the mail.She wanted to buy some cheese--for a rabbit, she said.I never heard of feeding a rabbit on cheese, did you, Ros?""No," I replied, laughing.It was not worth while to explain.
"Nor nobody else, but her! I guess," continued Lute, "likely she was just jokin'.Anyhow, Sim was all out of cheese, but he had some nice print butter, just in.She didn't want no butter, though.""Humph!" sniffed Dorinda."Did Sim Eldredge cal'late she wanted to feed the rabbit butter? Was the Colton girl alone?""No.There was a young feller with her; the one that's visitin'
'em.Carver his name is--Victor Carver.Did you ever hear such a name in your life? Afore I'd name a child of mine Victor!""Um-hm.Well, I wouldn't waste time worryin' about that, if I was you.Look here, Lute Rogers, you didn't say anything about Roscoe's talk with Mr.Colton, did you?""No, no! no, no! Course I didn't."
"You sure?"
"Yes.'Taint likely I would, would I? Cap'n Jed was on hand, as usual, and he was full of questions, but he didn't get anything out of me.'What did Colton say to Ros?' he says.'How do I know what he said?' says I.'I wan't there, was I?' 'Where was you that forenoon?' he says.'Forenoon!' says I, 'that shows how much you know about it.'Twas three o'clock in the afternoon.' Oh, I had the laugh on him!"Dorinda looked at me and shook her head.
"It's too bad, Roscoe," she said."But I was afraid of it as soon as I found he'd sneaked off to the post-office.I cal'late it's all over town by now.""What do you mean by that?" Lute's dignity was outraged."All over town! I never told him nothin'.""No.Only that Ros and Mr.Colton were together and 'twas three o'clock in the afternoon.And goodness knows how much more! DO be quiet! Seems sometimes as if I should lose patience with you altogether.Is this Carver the Colton girl's young man? Are they engaged?""I don't know.I guess he's keepin' company with her, by the looks.I got as nigh to 'em as I could, but I didn't hear much they said.Only, just as they was goin' out, he said somethin'
about goin' for a little spin in the car.She said no, her father would want his letters.Carver, he said, why not send Oscar home--that's the chauffeur, you know--with the letters, and he'd run the car himself.She kind of laughed, and said she guessed not, she'd taken one trip with him already that day and she didn't believe she cared for another.He seemed kind of put out about it, I thought."I had been feeling rather provoked at Lute for giving Captain Jed the information concerning my interview with Colton; but, somehow, this other bit of news restored my good humor.When I started for the village I did not take the short cut across the fields, but followed my regular route, the path by the bluff and the Shore Lane.I was no longer fearful of meeting my new neighbors.The memory of the happenings in the bay was a delightful solace to my wounded self-respect.I chuckled over it as I walked through the dripping pines of the little grove.No matter how contemptuously indifferent that girl might pretend to be she would not forget what had taken place; that she had been obliged to obey my orders; that I had carried her to that skiff; that I had saved her from a danger--not a great danger, and against her will, of course--but saved her nevertheless.She was under an obligation to me; she could not help herself.How that must gall her.I remembered the look on her face as I rowed away.Sweet was revenge.And Victor--Victor was a joke.
When I reached the Lane I looked over at the Colton mansion.The rain had given the carpenters and painters an enforced holiday, and, except for the chauffeur, whom I could see through the open door of the garage, there was no one in sight.I think I was a little disappointed.If "Big Jim" had appeared and hailed me with another offer for the land I should not have dodged.I was ready for him.But neither he, or any one else, appeared and I walked on.
At the Corners, Sim Eldredge shouted to me from the platform of his store.
"Hi, Ros!" he shouted."You! Ros Paine! come here a minute, will you?"I did not want to see him.I had intended avoiding the post-office altogether.But I crossed to the platform.
"Say, Ros," he asked eagerly, "what's this about you and Mr.Colton?"I was annoyed.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Why, you know, don't you? He come to see you and you went to see him over to his house.You had a reg'lar argument, I understand.
About the Shore Lane, wan't it?"
"Who told you that?" I inquired, sharply.
"Why, nobody told me, exactly.Lute Rogers and Cap'n Jed was here last night and they got a-goin' as usual.The Cap'n does love to stir up Lute, and he commenced hintin' about somethin' of the kind.
I don't know as they was hints, either, but Lute thought they was."He grinned.I understood.
"I see," I said."Well, what did Lute say?""I suppose he'd say he never said a word, but after he'd gone there was a kind of general sentiment that Colton wanted to buy the Shore Lane land off you, and that you and he had some words about it.
Anyhow, you didn't sell the land, did you?""Suppose I did, or didn't; what of it?"
