"How could you be so late?" said some one presently. "I watched out of
the window for nearly an hour."
"My train was late. The time-table on that road is simply a satire!"
said Peter. Yet it is the best managed road in the country, and this
particular train was only seven minutes overdue.
"You have been to ride, though," said Leonore.
"No. I have an engagement to ride with a disagreeable girl after
breakfast, so I dressed for it."
"Suppose the disagreeable girl should break her engagement--or declare
there never was one?"
"She won't," said Peter. "It may not have been put in the contract, but
the common law settles it beyond question."
Leonore laughed a happy laugh. Then she asked: "For whom are those
violets?"
"I had to go to four places before I could get any at this season," said
Peter. "Ugly girls are just troublesome enough to have preferences. What
will you give me for them?"
"Some of them," said Leonore, and obtained the bunch. Who dares to say
after that that women have no business ability nor shrewdness? It is
true that she kissed the fraction returned before putting it in Peter's
button-hole, which raises the question which had the best of the
bargain.
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