The Happy Average
CHAPTER I
A YOUNG MAN’S FANCY
“Come on, old man.”
Lawrence led the way with a jaunty step thatwas intended to show his easy footing with theCarters. But Marley lagged behind. Even if callingon girls had not been such a serious businesswith him, he could not forget that he was just graduatedfrom college and that a certain dignity befittedhim. He wished Lawrence would not speak soloud; the girls might hear, and think he wasafraid; he wished to keep the truth from them aslong as possible. He had already caught a glimpseof the girls, or thought he had, but before he couldmake sure, the vague white figures on the verandastirred; he heard a scurrying, and the loose bangof a screen door. Then it was still. Lawrencelaughed—somehow, as Marley felt, derisively.
The way from the sidewalk up to the Carters’veranda was not long, of course, though it seemedlong to Marley, and Marley’s deliberation madeit seem long to Lawrence. They paused at thesteps of the veranda, and Lawrence made a lowbow.
“Good evening, Mrs. Carter,” he said. “Ah,Captain, you here too?”
Marley had not noticed the captain, or Mrs.Carter; they sat there so quietly, enjoying thecool of the evening, or such cool as a July eveningcan find in central Ohio.
“My friend, Mr. Marley, Mrs. Carter—GlennMarley—you’ve heard of him, Captain.”
Marley bowed and said something. The presentationthere in the darkness made it rather difficultfor him, and neither the captain nor his wifemoved. Lawrence sat down on the steps andfanned himself with his hat.
“Been a hot day, Captain,” he said. “Thinkthere’s any sign of rain?” He sniffed the air.The captain did not need to sniff the air to be ableto reply, in a voice that rumbled up from hisbending figure, that he had no hope of any.
“Mayme’s home, ain’t she?” asked Lawrence,turning to Mrs. Carter.
“I’ll go see,” said Mrs. Carter, and she rosequickly, as if glad to get away, and the screendoor slammed again.
“Billy was in the bank to-day,” Lawrence wenton, speaking to Captain Carter. “He said yourwheat was ready to cut. Did you get Foose allright?”
“Yes,” said the captain, “he’ll give me nextweek.”
“Do you have to board the threshers?”
“No, not this year; they bring along their owncook, and a tent and everything.”
“Je-rusalem!” exclaimed Lawrence. “Thingsare changing in these days, ain’t they? Harvestingain’t as hard on the women-folks as it usedto be.”
“No,” said the captain, “but I pay for it,