Many evenings Martin sat on the Reist porch and he and Isabel laughed
and chatted and sometimes half-absent-mindedly referred a question to
Amanda. Frequently that young lady felt herself to be a fifth wheel and
sought some diversion. Excuses were easy to find; the most palpable one
was accepted with calm credulity by the infatuated young people.
One day, when three weeks of the boarder's stay were gone, Lyman
Mertzheimer came home from college, bringing with him a green roadster,
the gift of his wealthy, indulgent father.
He drew up to the Reist house and tooted his horn until Amanda ran into
the yard to discover what the noise meant.
"Good-morning, Lady Fair!" he called, laughing at her expression of
surprise. "I thought I could make you come! Bump of curiosity is still
working, I see. Wait, I'm coming in," he called after her as she turned
indignantly and moved toward the house.
"Please!" He called again as she halted, ashamed to be so lacking in
cordiality. "I want to see you. That's a cold, cruel way to greet a
fellow who's just come home from college and rushes over to see you
first thing."
He entered the yard and Amanda bade him, "Come up. Sit down," as she
took a chair on the porch. "So you're back for the summer, Lyman."
"Yes. Aren't you delighted?" He smiled at her teasingly. "I'm back to
the 'sauerkraut patch' again. Glory, I wish Dad would sell out and move
to some decent place."
"Um," she grunted, refraining from speech.
"Yes. I loathe this Dutch, poky old place. The only reason I'm glad to
ever see it again is because you live here. That's the only excuse I
have to be glad to see Lancaster County. And that reminds me, Amanda,
have you forgotten what I told you at the Spelling Bee? Do you still
feel you don't want to tackle the job of reforming me? Come, now," he
pleaded, "give a fellow a bit of hope to go on."
"I told you no, Lyman. I don't change my mind so easily."
"Oh, you naughty girl!" came Isabel's sweet voice as she drifted to the
porch. "I looked all over the house for you, Amanda, and here I find
you entertaining a charming young man."
Isabel was lovely as usual. Amanda introduced Lyman to her and as the
honeyed words fell from the lips of the city girl the country girl
stood contemplating the pair before her. "That's the first time," she
thought, "I was glad to hear that voice. I do wish those two would be
attracted to each other. They match in many ways."
Lyman Mertzheimer was not seriously attracted to Isabel, but he was at
times a keen strategist and the moment he saw the city girl an idea
lodged in his brain. Here was a pretty girl who could, no doubt, easily
be made to accept attentions from him. By Jove, he'd make Amanda
jealous! He'd play with Isabel, shower attentions upon her until Amanda
would see what she missed by snubbing a Mertzheimer!