e pleasures pursued, and, best of all,
the many things he had learned, but the recollection that a year ago
his mother had been living brought a rush of sad memories and blotted
out happier thoughts.

"I wish yer ma could hev seen Mart and M'ri merried. She was orful
disapp'inted when they broke off."

There was no reply. Rhody's sharp little eyes, in upward glance, spied
the trickling tear; she looked quickly away and stitched in furious
haste.

"But, my!" she continued, as if there had been no pause, "how glad she
would be to know 't was you as fetched it around."

David looked up, diverted and inquiring.

"Yes; I learnt it from M'ri. She told me about the flowers you give
him. I thought it was jest sweet in you, David. You done good work
thar."

"Miss Rhody," said David earnestly, "maybe some day I can get you a
sweetheart."

"'T ain't no use, David," she sighed. "No one wants a plain critter
like me."

"Lots of them don't marry for looks," argued David sagely. "Besides,
you look fine in your black silk, and your hair crimped. Joe thinks
your picture is great. He's got it on a shelf over his fireplace at
the ranch."

"Most likely some cowboy'll see it and lose his heart," laughed Miss
Rhody, "but thar, the weddin' dress is all done. You go home and quit
thinkin' about gittin' me a man. I ain't ha'nted by the thought of
endin' single."

Great preparations for the wedding progressed at the Brumble farm. For
a week Pennyroyal whipped up eggs and sugar, and David ransacked the
woods for evergreens and berries with which to decorate the big barn,
where the dance after the wedding was to take place.

The old farmhouse was filled to overflowing on the night of the
wedding. After the ceremony, Miss Rhody, resplendent in the black silk
and waving hair loosed from the crimping pins that had confined it for
two days and nights, came up to David.

"My, David, I've got the funniest all over feelin' from seein' Mart
and M'ri merried! I was orful afeerd I'd cry."

"Sit down, Miss Rhody," said David, gallantly bringing her a chair.

"Didn't M'ri look perfeckly beyewtiful?" she continued, after
accomplishing the pirouette that prevented creases. "And Mart, he
looked that proud, and solemn too. It made me think of that gal when
she spoke 'Curfew shall not ring tewnight' at the schoolhouse. Every
one looks fine. I hain't seen Barnabas so fussed up sence Libby Sukes'
funyral. It makes him look real spry. And whoever