MOBILE DIGITAL LIBRARY - SOCIETY OF YOUNG NIGERIAN ...

What difference does it make to you?""It's a great surprise to me," she said clearly. "I never met anybody before who didn't caremore about being sophisticated than about anything else. To have you not even think ofthat—to have you think of nothing but your work and how to 'mean well' as yousay——" she stopped, flushing deeply."Yes, it must be quite a change," he admitted sobered by her tone, but evidently vague asto her meaning. "Well, I'm very glad you don't mind my being as green as grass and asdense as a hitching-block. It's very lucky for me."A quick bitterness sprang into her voice. "I don't see," she echoed his phrase, "whatdifference it makes to you!""Don't you?" he said, lighting a cigarette and not troubling himself to discuss the questionwith her. She was evidently all on edge with nerves, he thought, and needed to be calmeddown. He pitied women for their nerves, and was always kindly tolerant of the resultantpetulances.She frowned and said with a tremulous resentment, as if gathering herself together for along-premediated attempt at self-defense. "You're not only as green as grass, but youperceive nothing,—any European, even the stupidest, would perceive what you—but you