Lettie had been looking Hiram over, and now she was smiling a little, too. The young farm manager wondered if her amusement was not aroused by his ill-fitting suit. His gloves were uncomfortable, too. One of them had begun to split! "How did you send the invitation to him?" Hiram asked hurriedly, trying to cover his own embarrassment. "By mail. Just as I did yours." "It is strange, then," Hiram said. "I am sorry, and I am sure Orrin would have loved to come. Are there any other folks on our R. F. D. route named Post?" "I just directed it to him at Pringleton. I didn't even put 'Sunnyside Farm' on the letter. I didn't address yours any differently, Hiram." "No. But the mail carrier knows me all right. I--I don't believe Orrin has received or written a letter since he has been with me." "Oh! Doesn't he have any friends at all?" "Doesn't seem to," replied Hiram, making room for another arrival then. Mr. Bronson welcomed him warmly; but of course he gave his time mostly to the older people who came to the party. Hiram found himself alone for the most part. He knew very few people here in Plympton, and almost none of the younger set. He found himself with a group of older men who largely talked farming or politics. It looked as if he would have a dull evening, and Hiram wished more than once during the first hour that he had not come. He wondered if Orrin had received an invitation but had been wise enough to remain away from the Bronsons' party. It was queer! Then Lettie was kind enough to hunt Hiram out and give him a dance on her list. The dance was informal and there were no cards, and the girls seemed just as likely to ask the young men for a dance as _vice versa_. No other girl gave Hiram the opportunity to dance, however, having seen him on the floor with Lettie. That awkwardly fitting dress suit certainly made a show of him. Hiram apprehended more than one giggling comment as he turned about the room with Lettie. She offered to dance with him again later, but he told her he thought he should go home early--it was such a long drive back to Sunnyside Farm. This was rather cowardly on his part. Yet he felt that he could not let the girl, out of the kindness of her heart, make a further exhibition on the floor of herself with him. The young farm manager kept out of Lettie's way as much as possible for the rest of the evening. And he did go home early. "I hope you enjoyed yourself, Hi," said Mr. Bronson, when the boy bade him good-bye. "Seems to me I didn't see you dancing much. Don't you care for it? Too sensible, I bet!" His employer's cordiality was not to be doubted. Lettie seemed just as sweet to him as she could be. Yet Hiram was glad when he was jogging back to the farm behind Jerry. Society was not a condition in which Hiram Strong could shine. The next time he had occasion to drive to Pringleton the young manager of Sunnyside Farm went to the post office for a special purpose.