Dolly was trying to break the twine on the parcel. "Let me!" Saunders, still blushing, was first to offer assistance. He took out his pocket- knife, cut the twine, unwrapped the books, and handed them back to her.
"Oh, they are so pretty--you always get such costly bindings!" Dolly added, almost reproachfully, as she fairly caressed the rich red leather with her hands. "You--you intend to lend them to the club, of course, and we must be very careful not to soil them. I shall have some covers made to--"
"Oh no!" Mostyn had never noticed before that his partner was such a weakling in the presence of women, and he wondered over the man's stumbling awkwardness. "Oh no," Saunders stammered. "I have inscribed them to--to you, as a little personal gift, if--if you don't mind."
"Oh, how sweet, how lovely of you!" Dolly cried. "Now, I sha'n't even want the others to handle them. I'm awfully selfish with what is really my own. Oh, you are too good!" Her richly mellow voice was full of genuine feeling, and a grateful moisture glistened in her shadowy eyes. Saunders heard, saw, and averted his throbbing glance to the mountain.
"Well, well," he said, awkwardly, "I must be going. It is Sunday, but I must talk to my overseer about his work. He was down in Atlanta the other day, and I did not like his showing as well as I could have done. I shall throw up banking, Mostyn, one of these days and settle down here. I see that now."
He was returning to the buggy, Dolly having gone to the house eager to exhibit her gift, when Mostyn stopped him. "Shall I see you again before you go back?" he inquired.
Saunders reflected. "I hardly think so, unless--Say, why couldn't you get in and go over home with me? My cook, Aunt Maria, will give us a good dinner, and we can lounge about all day."
"I don't think I could stay to dinner"--Mostyn was thinking that it might prevent a possible chat with Dolly in the parlor or a stroll to the spring--"but I'll ride over with you and walk back. I need the exercise."
"All right, hop in!" There was a ring of elation in Saunders's voice which was not often heard from him during business hours.
"These outings seem to do you a lot of good," Mostyn remarked. "You are as lively as a cricket this morning."