During the meal she spoke
of missing her horseback exercise, and said that she meant to ask Dr.
Sommers if he did not know of a good animal that might be hired for a
few weeks. Graydon at once resolved to make a propitiatory offering,
and to go out with Madge when Miss Wildmere was unattainable. For the
time he was content to imitate Madge's tactics, and acted as if he
intended to follow the course that she had suggested. The fact that
Arnault was so evidently enjoying his dinner and the Wildmere smiles
did not detract from his purpose to prove that he also was not without
resources. Moreover, he felt that he had not treated Madge fairly;
he had been truly fond of her, and now was conscious of a growing
respect. As she had said, it was not a little thing that she had
attempted and accomplished, and there had been small ground for his
discontent. After dinner, however, he found a chance to ensconce
himself by Miss Wildmere on the piazza, and he was fully resolved to
lose no such opportunities.
Madge, with the Muir children, passed him on the way to a small lake
on which she had promised to give the little people a row. He took
off his hat in cordial courtesy, and she recognized him with a brief
smile, in which Miss Wildmere could detect no apprehension.
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