"That was a great success," said Mrs. Munger, as they drove away. Annie
said nothing, and she added, "Don't you think so?"
"Well, I confess," said Annie, "I don't see how, exactly. Do you mean with
regard to Mr. Gerrish?"
"Oh no; I don't care anything about him," said Mrs. Munger, touching her
pony with the tip of her whip-lash. "He's an odious little creature, and I
knew that he would go for the dance and supper because Mr. Peck was opposed
to them. He's one of the anti-Peck party in his church, and that is the
reason I spoke to him. But I meant the other gentlemen. You saw how they
took it."
"I saw that they both made fun of it," said Annie.
"Yes; that's just the point. It's so fortunate they were frank about it. It
throws a new light on it; and if that's the way nice people are going to
look at it, why, we must give up the idea. I'm quite prepared to do so. But
I want to see Mrs. Wilmington first."
"Mrs. Munger," said Annie uneasily, "I would rather not see Mrs. Wilmington
with you on this subject; I should be of no use."
"My dear, you would be of the _greatest_ use," persisted Munger, and
she laid her arm across Annie's lap, as if to prevent her jumping out of
the phaeton. "As Mrs. Wilmington's old friend, you will have the greatest
influence with her."
"But I don't know that I wish to influence her in favour of the supper and
dance; I don't know that I believe in them," said Annie, cowed and troubled
by the affair.
"That doesn't make the slightest difference," said Mrs. Munger impartially.
"All you will have to do is to keep still. I will put the case to her."
She checked the pony before the bar which the flagman at the railroad
crossing had let down, while a long freight train clattered deafeningly
by, and then drove bumping and jouncing across the tracks. "I suppose you
remember what 'Over the Track' means in Hatboro'?"
"Oh yes," said Annie, with a smile. "Social perdition at the least. You
don't mean that Mrs. Wilmington lives 'Over the Track'?"
"Yes. It isn't so bad as it used to be, socially. Mr. Wilmington has built
a very fine house on this side, and there are several pretty Queen Anne
cottages going up."