and then all would have to be talked over,--just what he had
decided to do, and why.

In the evening a surprise awaited the whole household, for Martha
came, accompanied not only by her father, but also by a young
professor in the same school where she taught. Mary Ballard greeted
him most kindly, but she felt things were happening too rapidly in her
family. Jamie and Bobby watched the young man covertly yet eagerly,
taking note of his every movement and intonation. Was he one to be
emulated or avoided? Only little Janey was quite unabashed by him, and
this lightened his embarrassment greatly and helped him to the ease
of manner he strove to establish.

She led him out to the sweet-apple tree, and introduced him to the
calf and the bantams, and invited him to go with them nutting the next
day. "We're all going in a great, big picnic wagon. Everybody's going
and we'll have just lots of fun." And he accepted, provided she would
sit beside him all the way.

Bobby decided at this point that he also would befriend the young man.
"If you're going to sit beside her all the way, you'll have to be
lively. She never sits in one place more than two minutes. You'll have
to sit on papa's other knee for a while, and then you'll have to sit
on Peter Junior's."

"That will be interesting, anyway. Who's Peter Junior?"

"Oh, he's a man. He comes to see us a lot."

"He's the son of Elder Craigmile," explained Martha.

"Is he going, too, Betty?"

"Yes. The whole crowd are going. It will be fun. I'm glad now it
rained Thursday, for the Deans didn't want to postpone it till
to-morrow, and then, when it rained, Mrs. Dean said it would be too
wet to try to have it yesterday; and now we have you. I wanted all the
time to wait until you came home."

That night, when Martha went to their room, Betty followed her, and
after closing the door tightly she threw her arms around her sister's
neck.

"Oh, Martha, Martha, dear! Tell me all about him. Why didn't you let
us know? I came near having on my old blue gingham. What if I had?
He's awfully nice looking. Is he in love with you? Tell me all about
it. Does he make love to you? Oh, Martha! It's so romantic for you to
have a lover!"

"Hush, Betty, some one will hear you. Of course he doesn't make love
to me!"

"Why?"

"I wouldn't let him."

"Martha! Why not? Do you think it's bad to let a young man make love
to you?"

"Betty! You mustn't talk so loud. Everything sounds so through