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Page 12
"I can't really interfere to protect any young man who refuses to tell a
secret to a young lady," said Madeline, gravely. "Neglect to tell her the
secret, without being particularly asked to do so, would be bad enough,
but to refuse after being requested is an offence which calls for the
sharpest correction."
"And that isn't all, either," said Laura, vindictively flirting the
switch with which she had pursued him. "He used offensive language."
"What did he say?" demanded Madeline, judicially.
"I asked him if he was sure it was a secret that I didn't know already,
and he said he was; and I asked him what made him sure, and he said
because if I knew it everybody else would. As much as to say I couldn't
keep a secret."
"This looks worse and worse, young man," said the judge, severely. "The
only course left for you is to make a clean breast of the affair, and
throw yourself on the mercy of the court. If the secret turns out to be a
good one, I'll let you off as easily as I can."
"It's about the new drug-clerk, the one who is going to take George
Bayley's place," said Will, laughing.
"Oh, do tell, quick!" exclaimed Laura.
"I don't care who it is. I sha'n't like him," said Madeline. "Poor
George! and here we are forgetting all about him this beautiful day!"
"What's the new clerk's name?" said Laura, impatiently.
"Harrison Cordis."
"What?"
"Harrison Cordis."
"Rather an odd name," said Laura. "I never heard it."
"No," said Will; "he comes all the way from Boston."
"Is he handsome?" inquired Laura.
"I really don't know," replied Will. "I presume Parker failed to make
that a condition, although really he ought to, for the looks of the clerk
is the principal element in the sale of soda-water, seeing girls are the
only ones who drink it."
"Of course it is," said Laura, frankly. "I didn't drink any all last
summer, because poor George's sad face took away my disposition. Never
mind," she added, "we shall all have a chance to see how he looks at
church to-morrow;" and with that the two girls went off together to help
set the table for lunch.
The picnickers did not row home till sunset, but Henry found no
opportunity to resume the conversation with Madeline which had been
broken off at such an interesting point.
CHAPTER IV.
The advent of a stranger was an event of importance in the small social
world of Newville. Mr. Harrison Cordis, the new clerk in the drug-store,
might well have been flattered by the attention which he excited at
church the next day, especially from the fairer half of the congregation.
Far, however, from appearing discomposed thereby, he returned it with
such interest that at least half the girls thought they had captivated
him by the end of the morning service. They all agreed that he was
awfully handsome, though Laura maintained that he was rather too pretty
for a man. He was certainly very pretty. His figure was tall, slight, and
elegant. He had delicate hands and feet, a white forehead, deep blue,
smiling eyes, short, curly, yellow, hair, and a small moustache, drooping
over lips as enticing as a girl's. But the ladies voted his manners yet
more pleasing than his appearance. They were charmed by his easy
self-possession, and constant alertness as to details of courtesy. The
village beaus scornfully called him "cityfied," and secretly longed to be
like him. A shrewder criticism than that to which he was exposed would,
however, have found the fault with Cordis's manners that, under a show of
superior ease and affability, he was disposed to take liberties with his
new acquaintances, and exploit their simplicity for his own
entertainment. Evidently he felt that he was in the country.
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