bjection is
made."

"So do, Calvin! so do!" cried both twins together. Calvin looked at
Mary Sands, and her eyes were as friendly as his own. "The oftener you
come, Mr. Parks," she said, "the better I shall be pleased, for certin."

* * * * *

"Gitty up, hossy!" said Calvin. "We're late for supper now, and it don't
do for me to get too sharp-set; there ain't likely to be more supper
than what I can get away with. There's the store now, and there's Miss
Phrony, sure enough, lookin' out for me. Now I put it to you, hossy;
what was the object, precisely, of makin' a woman look like that? The
ways is mysterious, sure enough. There's a plenty of material there for
a good-lookin' woman, take and spread it kind o' different."

A tall, scraggy woman, with pale green eyes seeking each other across a
formidable beak, and teeth like a twisted balustrade, greeted him with
a reproachful look as he drove up to the corner store.

"Good afternoon, Miss Phrony," he said comfortably. "I expect I'm just a
mite late, ain't I?"

"I should think you was!" replied the scraggy woman. "I've been waitin'
full two hours, Cap'n Parks."

"Have!" said Calvin affably. "Now ain't that a sight! But it's a good
thing you had such pleasant company to wait in; I'm glad of that. How
do, Si? how do, Eph?" he nodded to two men who were leaning against the
door-posts, chewing straws and observing the universe. "Any trade doin'
with little Calvin to-day?"

"Nothin' only a box of wintergreen lozenges, I guess," said Si, the
storekeeper. "Mebbe you might leave another box of broken," he added,
after a glance in at his showcase. "Trade hasn't been real smart this
week. You ain't goin' to charge me full price for them goods, are you,
Cal?"

"If I took off anything," replied Calvin, "'twould be because you were
so handsome, and that wouldn't be real good for your disposition, so I
expect I shall have to deny myself the pleasure. Three dollars and
ninety cents--thank you, sir! Now, Miss Phrony, if you're ready--these
your bundles? Why, you've been buyin' out the store, I expect! Let me
help you in; up she comes! So long, boys!"

"Think she'll get him?" said Si to Eph, as they watched the wagon
disappearing down the road.

"I--don't--know!" replied Si slowly. "Sometimes I think he's as simple
as he is appearin', and then again I have my doubts. But one thing's
sure; she's goin' to do her darndest towards it!"

CHAPTER VII

MATC