"Zane Grey - Betty Zane" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grey Zane)

"I think you speak sensibly and I shall try and be more reasonable hereafter.
But, to return to the man who spoiled my ride. He, at least, is no
frontiersman, notwithstanding his gun and his buckskin suit. He is an educated
man. His manner and accent showed that. Then he looked at me so differently. I
know it was that soldier from Fort Pitt."

"Mr. Clarke? Why, of course!" exclaimed Lydia, clapping her hands in glee.
"How stupid of me!"

"You seem to be amused," said Betty, frowning.

"Oh, Betty, it is such a good joke."

"Is it? I fail to see it."

"But I can. I am very much amused. You see, I heard Mr. Clarke say, after papa
told him there were lots of pretty girls here, that he usually succeeded in
finding those things out and without any assistance. And the very first day he
has met you and made you angry. It is delightful."

"Lyde, I never knew you could be so horrid."

"It is evident that Mr. Clarke is not only discerning, but not backward in
expressing his thoughts. Betty, I see a romance."

"Don't be ridiculous," retorted Betty, with an angry blush. "Of course, he had
a right to stop me, and perhaps he did me a good turn by keeping me inside the
clearing, though I cannot imagine why he hid behind the bushes. But he might
have been polite. He made me angry. He was so cool and--and--"

"I see," interrupted Lydia, teasingly. "He failed to recognize your
importance."

"Nonsense, Lydia. I hope you do not think I am a silly little fool. It is only
that I have not been accustomed to that kind of treatment, and I will not have
it."

Lydia was rather pleased that some one had appeared on the scene who did not
at once bow down before Betty, and therefore she took the young man's side of
the argument.

"Do not be hard on poor Mr. Clarke. Maybe he mistook you for an Indian girl.
He is handsome. I am sure you saw that."

"Oh, I don't remember how he looked," said Betty. She did remember, but would
not admit it.

The conversation drifted into other channels after this, and soon twilight
came stealing down on them. As Betty rose to go there came a hurried tap on