“I wonder if I’ve met him,” said I. “I’m occasionally in town, when I
can get time to run up. What’s his name?”
“I don’t think I heard--or I’ve forgotten. But he’s got the place next
to a friend of mine in the country, and she told me all about him. She’s
exactly the opposite sort of person--or she wouldn’t be my friend.”
“I should think not, Miss Milton,” said I admiringly.
“Oh, I should like to meet that man, and tell him what I think of
him!” said she. “Such men as he do more harm than a dozen agitators. So
contemptible, too!”
“It’s revolting to think of,” said I.
“I’m so glad you--” began Miss Milton, quite confidentially; I pulled
my chair a trifle closer, and cast an apparently careless glance towards
Mrs. Hilary. Suddenly I heard a voice behind me.
“Eh, what? Upon my honor it is! Why, Carter, my boy, how are you? Eh,
what? Miss Milton, too, I declare! Well, now, what a pity Annie didn’t
come!”
I disagreed. I hate Annie. But I was very glad to see my friend and
neighbor, Robert Dinnerly. He’s a sensible man--his wife’s a little
prig.
“Oh, Mr. Dinnerly,” cried Miss Milton, “how funny that you should come
just now? I was just trying to remember the name of a man Mrs. Dinnerly
told me about. I was telling Mr. Carter about him. You know him.”
“Well, Miss Milton, perhaps I do. Describe him.”
“I don’t believe Annie ever told me his name, but she was talking about
him at our house yesterday.”
“But I wasn’t there, Miss Milton.”
“No,” said Miss Milton, “but he’s got the next place to yours in the
country.”