He was
very tall and spare, and his eyebrows, which hung thick and dark above his
Roman nose, gave him an odd resemblance to a bird of prey. The smile
flashed like an artificial light across his austere features.
"Since my arm is too high for you," he said, "will you have my hand?--Yes,
you may drive on, Big Abel," to the driver, "and remember to take out those
bulbs of Spanish lilies for your mistress. You will find them under the
seat."
The whip cracked again above the fat old roans, and with a great creak the
coach rolled on its way.
"I--I--if you please, I'd rather you wouldn't," stammered the child.
The Major chuckled again, still holding out his hand. Had she been eighty
instead of eight, the gesture could not have expressed more deference. "So
you don't like old men any better than boys!" he exclaimed.
"Oh, yes, sir, I do--heaps," said Betty. She transferred the frog's foot to
her left hand, and gave him her right one. "When I marry, I'm going to
marry a very old gentleman--as old as you," she added flatteringly.
"You honour me," returned the Major, with a bow; "but there's nothing like
youth, my dear, nothing like youth." He ended sadly, for he had been a gay
young blood in his time, and the enchantment of his wild oats had increased
as he passed further from the sowing of them. He had lived to regret both
the loss of his gayety and the languor of his blood, and, as he drifted
further from the middle years, he had at last yielded to tranquillity with
a sigh.
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