"Miss Isabel, I want to ask you a question.

I'm not a ladies' man.
I speak my mind plainly to everybody--women included.

Do you like being here to-day ?" Isabel's gravity was not proof against this very downright question.
"I should be hard to please," she said laughing, "if I didn't enjoy my visit to the farm." Hardyman pushed steadily forward through the obstacle of the farm to the question of the farm's master.

"You like being here," he repeated.
"Do you like Me ?" This was serious.

Isabel drew back a little, and looked at him.