s be hidden
in that handsome, smilin' face and them graceful, winnin' ways, as he
laughed and talked with his aunt and Dorothy.

But anon at some chance word of blame and criticism from Miss Meechim,
makin' light of his City of Justice and its inhabitants, a light
blazed up in his eyes and lit up his face, some as a fire in our open
fireplace lights up the spare-room, and I see stand out for a minute
on the background of his fair handsome face a picture of heroism,
love, endeavor that fairly stunted me for a time. And I never felt
afterwards anything but perfect confidence in him; no matter how light
and trifling wuz his talk with Dorothy, or how gay and boyishly happy
wuz his clear laughter.

He had worked well and faithful, givin' his hull mind and heart to his
endeavor to do all the good he could, and now he wuz bound to play
well, and git all the good and rest he could out of his play spell.
And I hadn't been with 'em more'n several hours before I thought that
I had seen further into his heart and hopes and intentions than Miss
Meechim had in all her born days.

Robert Strong, before he went away, invited us all to go and see his
City of Justice, and we agreed with considerable satisfaction to do
so, or at least I did and I spoze the rest did. Miss Meechim would be
happy in any place where her nephew wuz, that you could see plain, as
much as she disapproved of his methods. Dorothy, I couldn't see so
plain what she did think, she bein' one that didn't always let her
lips say everything her heart felt, but she used Robert real polite,
and we all had a real agreeable visit.

Robert got a big carriage and took us all out driving that afternoon,
Miss Meechim and I settin' on the back seat, and Robert and Dorothy
facing us, and Tommy perched on Robert's knee; Tommy jest took to
him, and visey-versey. Robert thought he wuz just about the brightest
little boy he had ever seen, and Tommy sot there, a little pale but
happy, and wonnered about things, and Robert answered all his
"wonners" so fur as he could.

We drove through beautiful streets lined with elegant houses, and the
dooryards wuz a sight. Think of my little scraggly geraniums and
oleanders and cactuses I've carried round in my hands all winter and
been proud on. And then think of geranium and oleander trees just as
common as our maples and loaded with flowers. And palm and bananna
trees, little things we brood over in our houses in the winter, and
roses that