Not the least sentiment was awakened in Ellen 's heart by their meeting . She was accustomed to wonder , when she thought about it at all , how she could ever have fancied him or felt so badly over his sudden marriage . But she had rather liked meeting him again . She had forgotten how bracing and stimulating he could be . No gathering was ever stagnant when Norman Douglas was present . Everybody had been surprised when Norman came . It was well known he never went anywhere . The Pollocks had invited him because he had been one of the original guests , but they never thought he would come . He had taken his second cousin , Amy Annetta Douglas , out to supper and seemed rather attentive to her . But Ellen sat across the table from him and had a spirited argument with him -- an argument during which all his shouting and banter could not fluster her and in which she came off best , flooring Norman so composedly and so completely that he was silent for ten minutes . At the end of which time he had muttered in his ruddy beard -- `` spunky as ever -- spunky as ever '' -- and began to hector Amy Annetta , who giggled foolishly over his sallies where Ellen would have retorted bitingly . Ellen thought these things over as she walked home , tasting them with reminiscent relish . The moonlit air sparkled with frost . The snow crisped under her feet . Below her lay the Glen with the white harbour beyond . There was a light in the manse study . So John Meredith had gone home . Had he asked Rosemary to marry him ? And after what fashion had she made her refusal known ? Ellen felt that she would never know this , though she was quite curious .
She was sure XXXXX would never tell her anything about it and she would not dare to ask .
Annetta Douglas Ellen Glen Meredith Norman Rosemary harbour minutes second