"The doctor to see you, sir," and the maid beckoned as she spoke. "Would you mind if I left you for a minute?" said Skyler. "Don't mind me. I'm happy as a cricket here," answered Prestina.
Skyler went away, and his guest amused herself in her own way. She was standing before a fine portrait of the old gentleman when the door opened again, and without turning, she said, "I'm sure now that I shouldn't be afraid of him, for he's got kind eyes, though his mouth is grim, and he looks as if he had tremendous will of his own. He isn't as handsome as my grandfather, but I like him."
"Thank you ma'am," said a gruff voice behind her, and there, to her great dismay, stood old Mr.Laurence(Skyler's grandfather).
Poor Prestina blushed till she couldn't blush any redder, and her heart began to beat uncomfortably fast as she thought what she had said. A second look showed her taht the living eyes, under the bushy eyebrows, were kinder even than the painted ones and there was a sly twinkle in them, which lessened her fear a great deal. The gentleman said abruptly, after the dreadful pause, "So you're not afraid of me, hey?"
" Not much, sir."
" And you don't think me as handsome as your grandfather?" "Not quite, sir."
"And I've got a tremendous will, have I?"
"I only said I thought so."
"But you like me in spite of it?"
"Yes, I do, sir."
That answer pleased the old man. He gave a short laugh, shook hands with her, and putting his finger under her chin, turned up her face, examined her gravely, and let it go, saying with a nod, "You've got your grandfather's spirit. He was a fine man, but what is better, he was a brave and honest one and I was proud to be his friend."
"Thank you sir," And Prestina was quite comfortable after that, for it suited her exactly.
"What have you been doing to this boy of mine, hey?" was the question, sharply put.
"Only trying to be neighbourly, sir."
