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 Rosemary would never tell her anything about it and she would not dare to ask . She must just be content with the fact of the refusal . After all , that was the only thing that really mattered . `` I hope he 'll have sense enough to come back once in a while and be friendly , '' she said to herself . She disliked so much to be alone that thinking aloud was one of her devices for circumventing unwelcome solitude . `` It 's awful never to have a man-body with some brains to talk to once in a while . And like as not he 'll never come near the house again .
There 's Norman Douglas , too -- I like that man , and I 'd like to have a good rousing argument XXXXX him now and then .
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