He suddenly ceased his oration, and said, "Hello! what's the matter with Grace ?" The heads turned promptly.
As the girl came toward them it could be seen that her cheeks were very pink and her eyes were flashing general wrath and defiance.
The Worcester girls burst into eager interrogation.

"Oh, nothing!" she replied at first, but later she added in an undertone, "That wretched Mrs.Truscot----" "What did she say ?" whispered the younger Worcester girl.
"Why, she said--oh, nothing!" Both Hollanden and Hawker were industriously reflecting.
Later in the morning Hawker said privately to the girl, "I know what Mrs.Truscot talked to you about." She turned upon him belligerently.

"You do ?" "Yes," he answered with meekness.

"It was undoubtedly some reference to your ride upon the ox wagon." She hesitated a moment, and then said, "Well ?" With still greater meekness he said, "I am very sorry." "Are you, indeed ?" she inquired loftily.

"Sorry for what?
Sorry that I rode upon your father's ox wagon, or sorry that Mrs.Truscot was rude to me about it ?" "Well, in some ways it was my fault." "Was it?
I suppose you intend to apologize for your father's owning an ox wagon, don't you ?" "No, but----" "Well, I am going to ride in the ox wagon whenever I choose.