acher were quite ignorant
of the stir they were creating. The green-eyed monster roared right
in their ears without either of them being the wiser. Lyddy was only
sorry that Sairy Pritchett proved to be such a loud-talking and rather
unladylike person.

But 'Phemie, who was younger, and observant, soon saw what was the
matter. She wished to warn Lyddy, but did not know how to do so. And, of
course, she knew her sister and the school teacher were talking of
quite impersonal things.

These girls expected everybody to be of their own calibre. 'Phemie had
seen the same class of girls in her experience in the millinery shop.
But it was quite impossible for Lyddy to understand such people, her
experience with young girls at school and college not having prepared her
for the outlook on life which these country girls had.

'Phemie turned to Lucas--who stuck to her like a limpet to a rock--for
help.

"Lucas," she said, "you have been very kind to bring us here; but I want
to ask you to take us home early; will you?"

"What's the matter--ye ain't sick; be you?" demanded the anxious young
farmer.

"No. But your sister is," said 'Phemie, unable to treat the matter with
entire seriousness.

"Sairy?"

"Yes."

"What's the matter with _her_?" grunted Lucas.

"Don't you _see_?" exclaimed 'Phemie, in an undertone.

"By cracky!" laughed Lucas. "Ye mean because teacher's forgot she's on
airth?"

"Yes," snapped 'Phemie. "You know Lyddy doesn't care anything about that
Mr. Somers. But she has to be polite."

"Why--why----"

"Will you take us home ahead of them all?" demanded the girl. "Then your
sister can have the schoolmaster."

"By cracky! is that it?" queried Lucas. "Why--if you say so. I'll do just
like you want me to, Miss 'Phemie."

"You are a good boy, Lucas--and I hope you won't be silly," said 'Phemie.
"We like you, but we have been brought up to have boy friends who don't
play at being grown up," added 'Phemie, as earnestly as she had ever
spoken in her life. "We like to have _friends_, not _beaux_. Won't you
be our friend, Lucas?"

She said this so low that nobody else could hear it but young Pritchett;
but so emphatically that the tears came to her eyes. Lucas gaped at her
for a moment; then he seemed to understand.

"I get yer, 'Phemie," he declared, with emphasis, "an' you kin bank on
me. Sairy's foolish--maw's made her so, I s'pose. But I ain't as big a
fool as I look."

"You don't look like a fool