He came to see her of course, but she was too much a child to think for a moment that the remembrance of her blue eyes and wavy hair had brought the others there. They came, no doubt, to get some _sewing_ done, and she was sorry her auntie was gone, and very glad when at last she saw her coming round the turn in the road, for now they could give their orders and go away. For an instant Mary Rogers stopped short at sight of three town-bred, fashionable young men, with perfumed locks, and fancy canes, and short coats, and soft hats, sitting before her door, with Gertie in their midst, looking so beautiful and pure and innocent, and so unconscious withal of the admiration she was exciting. Then, the good honest-minded woman’s resolution was taken, and she went swiftly up the walk and courtesying to her visitors asked what she could do for them. “Nothing, nothing, madame, we simply came to call,” Tom Barton replied, inspecting her curiously, as if she had been a Hottentot, and wondering how that dainty bit of flesh and blood in the blue dress and pantalets chanced to belong to her. “Come to call, did you. I am sorry then I happened to be out. Gertie, I brought this letter from the office for Mrs. Simmons. Tie on your bonnet and take it to her directly,” Mary Rogers said, while a dead silence fell upon the group of young men, each of whom looked at the others inquiringly. Gertie was only sorry to leave Godfrey, but reflecting that if she hurried he might be there when she came back, she hastened away, while her admirers looked after her until the turn in the road hid her from view. Then Mrs. Rogers spoke, standing up before them with a flush on her face and a dignity in her tone and manner which commanded respect from her audience. “Young men,” she began, “you came to see Gertie, and I don’t like it, and won’t allow it either. She is too young to have such ideas put in her head, even were you honest, which you are not. Not one of you would marry her, or be willing to be seen with her by your fashionable city friends, if she were older than she is. You do not look upon her as your equal, and you only come to amuse yourselves with her because she is pretty and sweet; but it shall not be. It’s no credit to a girl in Gertie’s position to have a lot of chaps like you hanging round her and putting stuff into her head, and I won’t have a breath of harm done to her future good name by your coming here and talking nonsense, which you don’t mean, and I put it to your honor to do by my child as you would have a body do by your sister if she was as young and innocent as Gertie.” “By George, you are right! and I give you my hand as a gentleman that by no act of mine shall Gertie be compromised!” Tom Barton exclaimed, as he rose to his feet and offered his hand to Gertie’s champion.