"They say he is shining up to that Mason girl from Minneola, that
comes here with Molly," his wife returned, "Yes, I expected that
sooner than now." The colonel gave the subject up. The ways of women
were past his finding out. But Mrs. Culpepper had heard Jane Mason
sing a duet in church with John Barclay, and the elder woman had heard
in the big contralto voice of the girl something not meant for the
preacher. And Mrs. Culpepper heard John answer it, so she knew what he
did not know, what Jane Mason did not know, and what only Molly
Culpepper suspected, and Bob Hendricks scoffed at.

As for John, he said to Bob: "I know why you always want me to go over
with you and Molly to get the Mason girl--by cracky, I'm the only
fellow in town that will let you and Molly have the back seat coming
home without a fuss! No, Robbie--you don't fool your Uncle John." And
so when there was to be special music at the church, or when any other
musical event was expected, John and Bob would get a two-seated buggy,
and drive to Minneola and bring the soloist back with them. And there
would be dances and parties, and coming from Minneola and going back
there would be much singing. "The fox is on the hill, I hear him
calling still," was a favourite, but "Come where the lilies bloom"
rent the midnight air between the rival towns many times that winter
and spring of '73. And never once did John try to get the back seat.
But there came a time when Bob Hendricks told him that Molly told him
that Jane had said that Molly and Bob were pigs--never to do any of
the driving. And the next time there was a trip to Minneola, John said
as the young people were seated comfortably for the return trip,
"Molly, I heard you said that I was a pig to do all the driving, and
not let you and Bob have a chance. Was that true?"

"No--but do you want to know who did say it?" answered Molly, and