ditvoluptuouslyandhereyesglittered.Hebegantotalk,andhisvoicesoundedlikemusicinherearshelookedatherandhiseyeswerelargeandgray,shefoundthemhighlysympathetichewascleanshaven,andhismouthwasveryattractive.Sheblushedandfeltherselfafool.Berthatookpainstobeascharmingaspossiblesheknewherowndarkeyeswerebeautiful,andfixedthemuponhis.Whenatlasthebadehergood-byeandshookhands,sheblushedagainshewasextraordinarilytroubled,andas,withhisrising,thestrongmasculineodourofthecountrysidereachedhernostrils,herheadwhirled.ShewasverygladMissLeywasnottheretoseeher.
Shewalkedhomeinthedarknesstryingtocomposeherself,forshecouldthinkofnothingbutEdwardCraddock.Sherecalledthepast,tryingtobringbacktohermemoryincidentsoftheiroldacquaintance.Atnightshedreamtofhim,andshedreamthekissedher.
Sheawokeinthemorning,thinkingofCraddock,andfeltitimpossibletogothroughthedaywithoutseeinghim.Shethoughtofsendinganinvitationtoluncheonortotea,buthardlydaredandshedidnotwantMissLeytoseehimyet.Thensherememberedthefarmshewouldwalkthere,wasitnothers?Hewouldsurelybeworkinguponit.Thegodoflovewaspropitious,andinafieldshesawhim,directingsomeoperation.Shetrembledatthesight,herheartbeatveryquicklyandwhen,seeingher,hecameforwardwithagreeting,sheturnedredandthenwhiteinthemostcompromisingfashion.Buthewasveryhandsomeas,witheasygait,hesaunteredtothehedgeaboveallhewasmanly,andthepleasingthoughtpassedthroughBerthathathisstrengthmustbequiteherculean.Shebarelyconcealedheradmiration.
“Oh,Ididn’tknowthiswasyourfarm,”shesaid,shakinghands.“Iwasjustwalkingatrandom.”
“Ishouldliketoshowyouround,MissBertha.”
Craddockopenedthegateandtookhertotheshedswherehekepthiscarts,pointingoutacoupleofsturdyhorsesploughinganadjacentfieldheshowedherhiscattle,andpokedthepigstoletheradmiretheirexcellentconditionhegavehersugarforhishunter,andtookhertothesheep—explainingeverythingwhileshelistenedspell-bound.When,withgreatpride,Craddockshowedherhismachinesandexplainedtheuseofthehorse-tosserandtheexpenseofthereaper,shethoughtthatneverinherlifehadsheh