Prev | Current Page 142 | Next

Tarkington, Booth, 1869-1946

"Ramsey Milholland"


"You can't do it!" said Fred, manifesting triumph. "We'll both stop
right here in plain sight of the whole Yocum family connection till you
promise not to touch me."
And he halted, leaning back implacably against the Yocum's iron fence.
Ramsey was scandalized.
"Come on!" he said, hoarsely. "Don't stop _here_!"
"I will, and if you go on alone I'll yell at you. You got to stand right
here with all of 'em lookin' at you until--"
"I promise! My heavens, come _on_!"
Fred consented to end the moment of agony; and for the rest of the
summer found it impossible to persuade Ramsey to pass that house in his
company. "I won't do it!" Ramsey told him. "Your word of honour means
nothin' to me; you're liable to do anything that comes into your head,
and I'm gettin' old enough to not get a reputation for bein' seen with
people that act the idiot on the public streets. No, sir; we'll walk
around the block--at least, we will if you're goin' with _me_!"
And to Fred's delight, though he concealed it, they would make this
detour.


Pages:
130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154