"
At last the wagon was loaded with trees enough to occupy the holes
which had been dug, and they started for the vicinity of the
farmhouse again. Mr. Banning had no match-making proclivities
where Sue was concerned, as may be well understood, and had never
been far off. Minturn, however, had appeared so single-minded in
his work, so innocent of all designs upon his daughter, that the
old man began to think that this day's performance was only a
tentative and preliminary skirmish, and that if there were danger
it lurked in the unknown future. He was therefore inclined to be
less vigilant, reasoning philosophically, "I suppose it's got to
come some time or other. It looks as if Sue might go a good deal
further than this young man and fare worse. But then she's only
eighteen, and he knows it. I guess he's got sense enough not to
plant his corn till the sun's higher. He can see with half an eye
that my little girl isn't ready to drop, like an over-ripe apple."
Thus mixing metaphors and many thoughts, he hurried ahead to open
the gate for Hiram.
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