“Would you take that as a satisfying reason from one or your students?”
“I’m afraid not,” he said; “but, then, I’m very exacting in class. Now, if you want to know, why do you not ask your father?”
“Father and I have discussed the question, often, and he quite agrees with me in thinking it unfair.”
“Oh, does he?” said Renmark, taken aback; although, when he reflected, he realized that the father doubtless knew as little about the dangers of the city as the daughter did.
“Oh, mother thinks if a girl is a good housekeeper it is all that is required. So you will have to give me a good reason, if there is one, for nobody else in this house argues on your side of the question.”
“Well,” said Renmark in an embarrassed manner, “if you don’t know by the time you are twenty-five, I’ll promise to discuss the whole subject with you.”
Margaret sighed as she leaned back in her chair.
“Twenty-five?” she cried, adding with the unconscious veracity of youth: “That will be seven years to wait. Thank you, but I think I’ll find out before that time.”
They were interrupted by the sudden and unannounced entrance of her brother.
“Hello, you two!” he shouted with the rude familiarity of a boy. “It seems the library takes a longer time to arrange than usual.”
“Oh, that’s what you call it, is it? Can I be of any assistance, or is two company when they’re cataloguing? Have you any idea what time it is?”
“I’m afraid I must be off,” said the professor, rising. “My companion in camp won’t know what has become of me.”
“Oh, he’s all right!” said Henry. “He’s down at the Corners, and is going to stay there for the meeting to-night. Young Bartlett passed a while ago; he was getting the horses shod, and your friend went with him. I guess Yates can take care of himself, Mr. Renmark. Say, sis, will you go to the meeting? I’m going. Young Bartlett’s going, and so is Kitty. Won’t you come, too, Mr. Renmark? It’s great fun.”
“Don’t talk like that about a religious gathering, Henry,” said his sister, frowning.
“Is it a prayer meeting?” asked the professor, looking at the girl.
“You bet it is!” cried Henry enthusiastically, giving no one a chance to speak but himself. “It’s a prayer meeting, and every other kind of meeting all rolled into one. It’s a revival meeting; a protracted meeting, that’s what it is. You had better come with us, Mr. Renmark, and then you can see what it is like. You can walk home with Yates.”