Maria looked at her aunt with an expression of almost idiocy.

For the minute, the term Aunt Maria used, especially as applied to her father, had no more meaning for her than a term in a foreign tongue.
She was very pale.

"Courtin'," she stammered out vaguely, imitating her aunt exactly, even to the dropping of the final "g." Aunt Maria was, for the moment, too occupied with her own personal grievances and disappointments to pay much attention to her little niece.

"Yes, courtin'," she said, harshly.

"I've been suspectin' for some time, an' now I know.