You remember my old
friend Mrs. Sparsit, who lives up at Rose Cottage,--you know I saved
her poodle from drowning one rough day, when some boys got hold of it:
well, Mrs. Sparsit and I are first-rate friends, and I will ask her to
give us some tea."

"Oh, no," faltered Mattie, quite shocked at this; for what would Grace
say? "I only know Mrs. Sparsit a very little."

"What does that matter?" returned Sir Harry, obstinately: "I am always
dropping in myself for a chat. Now, it is no use your making any
objection, Miss Mattie, for I have got a lot to say to you, and I
don't mean to part with you yet. They will only think you are still at
Rock Building, and I suppose you are old enough to act without Miss
Grace's advice sometimes."

Mattie hung her head without replying to this. What a feeble, helpless
sort of creature he must think her! his voice seemed to express a
good-humored sort of contempt. Well, he was right; she was old enough
to do as she pleased, and she would like very much to go with him to
Mrs. Sparsit's. It was rather a reckless proceeding, perhaps; but
Mattie was too down and miserable to argue it out, so she walked
beside Sir Harry in a perfectly unresisting manner. Perhaps this was
the last time she would enjoy his company for a long time: she must
make the most of it.

"We need not walk quite so fast," he said, checking her, for she was
hurrying again. "Look here, Miss Mattie, I want to ask you a queer
sort of question, if only this confounded wind will let me make myself
heard. Please don't laugh; I don't want to be laughed at, for I am
quite in earnest. But have you any special objection to red hair?--I
mean, do you particularly dislike it?"

Mattie opened her eyes rather widely at this. "No, I rather like it,"
she returned, without a moment's hesitation, and quite in the dark as
to his possible meaning.

"Oh, that is all right," he returned, cheerfully. "You won't believe
it, Miss Mattie, but, though I am such a great big fellow, I am as
bashful as anything; and I have always had a fancy that no one would
have me because of my red hair."

"What an idea!" observed Mattie, with a little laugh, for she thought
this so droll, and had not the dimmest idea of his real purpose in
asking her such a question.

"Don't laugh, please," he remonstrated, "for I am quite serious; I
never was more serious in my life; for this sort of thing is so
awkward for a fellow. Then, Miss Mattie, you won't say 'No' to