other.
You'll get along famously with her, I believe, in spite of Clara."

Who but a blundering man, like dear honest Rube, would have so
completely let the domestic cat out of the bag?

No need for Mell to be the most wide-awake creature in existence to
understand on the spot, the real status of affairs, as concerned
herself, at the Bigge House.

Subjugated at once by her beauty, constrained to admit her lady-like
deportment, Mrs. Rutland kissed the rounded cheek and hoped she would
make her dear boy very happy. And Mell looked flatteringly conscious
of the great lady's condescension, and blushingly avowed her
unalterable determination to try. This interesting little ceremony
seemed to dissipate all the underlying displeasure at Rube's choice in
his mother's mind.

She watched the girl closely during the interview which followed. Many
girls are pretty and lady-like, not many are to be found as well
educated as Mell Creecy, or as thoroughly equipped by both nature and
education to entertain, to amuse, to fascinate. This was that part of
Mell which "tuck arter her ole daddy," as old Jacob was wont to say.
Even Clara Rutland's manners were not more easy and irreproachable,
and Clara had never been half so ready in speech and apt in reply. It
was a matter of agreeable wonder to Mrs. Rutland how a hard-working
uneducated farmer could have such a daughter, and she wondered also if
this phenomenal social prodigy could be found so strongly marked in
any other land under the sun.

Obeying an instinct of curiosity, the visitor inquired:

"Your father and mother, Melville, are they here? Will they see us?"

"Not if I can help it!" inwardly.

Outwardly very different.

"So sorry! Mother is not well to-day. She is rarely well, and rarely
sees anyone. Father is as usual busy upon the farm."

"Rube says your father is a very thorough farmer," remarked the
visitor.

"Doesn't a good farmer make money out of it," queried Mell, glancing
at her betrothed with a doubtful little smile, "just as a lawyer does
out of law, and a doctor out of physic? The earth is full of gold, and
ought not a good digger to strike it somewhere--some time? Father, at
any rate, is devoted to farming, as an occupation, and is happy in it,
getting out of the ground more of God's secrets than the rest of us
find among the stars."

"That is a pretty idea, Mellville," said Mrs. Rutland.

"Bless you!" exclaimed Rube, "that's nothing! She's full of 'em