rious. Among the many who were thus
stirred to seek out this youthful paragon, was Miss Compton's
brother-in-law, Mr. Horace Clapp. Nor was an idle curiosity his only
motive in taking the step. Beneath the pretext he found for paying the
visit lurked a rather shamefaced purpose of doing this "plucky little
genius" a good turn.

It happened, therefore, one morning in December, that Polly came home
from her marketing to find a stranger sitting in her porch. A
dog-cart, driven by a groom in livery, was passing and repassing her
door; and one look at the occupant of the porch sufficed to fix the
connection between the two. He was a well-dressed man of thirty or
more, who rose as she opened the gate and saluted her as if she had
been a duchess.

"Miss Polly Fitch?" he inquired, as he stood before her, hat in hand.

It was noticeable that no one ever omitted the "Polly" from the girl's
name. It seemed as much a part of her as the ruddy hair and the dimple
in her chin. That dimple, by the way, should have been mentioned long
ago; but that, in its turn, was so essential a feature, that one would
as soon think it necessary to state that Polly's nose had an upward
tilt as that her chin had a dimple. Any one who had ever heard of
Polly must know that her nose would tilt and her chin have a dimple.

Polly had a large market-basket on her arm, and as she felt in her
pocket for the key to the front door, her visitor took possession of
the basket. She was a good deal impressed by the attention from so
magnificent a personage, and one, moreover, of advanced years. She
began to think that she must be mistaken about his being thirty; why,
that was Cousin John's age, and Cousin John was quite an oldish man.
She motioned her visitor to enter, and it must be admitted that there
was no oppressive reverence in her tone as she said:

"If you would tell me _your_ name, now we should be starting fair!"

"My name is Horace Clapp. Did you ever hear of me?"

"No, I don't think so. Ought I to have?"

"Well, no, there's no obligation in the matter. I only had an idea
that I was a local celebrity, like you."

"Like me?"

"Yes! You're a surprise to the town and so am I."

"What have you done to surprise the town?" asked Polly, filled with
curiosity.

"I've only got rich very fast."

"Why, so have I!" said Polly. "We _are_ a good deal alike."

"Really? Then you will be in an even better position to advise me than
I thought for."

"I