my feet and pushed in all my
hairpins. Billy stood spread-legged as near in front of me as he could
get and said in the rudest possible tone of voice:

"Get away from my Molly, man!"

I never was so mortified in all my life and I scrambled to my feet and
came over to the fence to get between him and Billy.

"It's a lovely day, isn't it, Judge Wade?" I asked with the greatest
interest, which I didn't really feel, in the weather; but what could I
think of to say? A woman is apt to keep the image of a good many of the
grand men she sees passing around her in queer niches in her brain, and
when one steps out and speaks to her for the first time it is confusing.
Of course I have known the judge and his mother all my life, for she is
one of Aunt Adeline's best friends, but I had a feeling from the look in
his eyes that that very minute was the first time he had ever seen me.
It was lovely and I blushed some more as I put my hand up to my cheek so
I wouldn't have to look right at him.

"About the loveliest day that ever happened in Hillsboro," he said, and
there was still more of the delicious smile, "though I hadn't noticed it
so especially until--"

But I never knew what he had intended to say, for Billy suddenly swelled
up like a little turkey-cock and cut out with his switch at the judge.

"Git, man, git, and let my Molly alone!" he said, in a perfect
thundertone of voice; but I almost laughed, for it had such a sound in
it like Doctor John's at his most positive times with Billy and me.

"No, no, Billy, the judge is just looking over the fence at our flowers!
Don't you want to give him a rose?" I hurried to say as the smile died
out of Judge Wade's face and he looked at Billy intently.

"How like John Moore the youngster is," he said, and his voice was so
cold to Billy that it hurt me, and I was afraid Billy would notice it.
Coldness in people's voices always makes me feel just like ice-cream
tastes. But Billy's answer was still more rude.

"You better go, man, before I bring my father to sic our dog on you,"
he exploded, and before I could stop him his thin little legs went
trundling down the garden path toward home.

Then the judge and I both laughed. We couldn't help it. When two people
laugh straight into each other's eyes something feels dangerous and you
get closer together. The judge leaned farther over the fence and I went
a little nearer before I knew it.

"You don't need to keep a personal dog, do y