Don't you be hard on me. I have to take What I can get. You see they have the feet, Which gives them the advantage in the trade. I can't get back the feet in any case." "But your flowers, man, you're selling out your flowers." "Yes, that's one way to put it--all the flowers Of every kind everywhere in this region For the next forty summers--call it forty. But I'm not selling those, I'm giving them, They never earned me so much as one cent: Money can't pay me for the loss of them. No, the five hundred was the sum they named To pay the doctor's bill and tide me over. It's that or fight, and I don't want to fight-- I just want to get settled in my life, Such as it's going to be, and know the worst, Or best--it may not be so bad. The firm Promise me all the shooks I want to nail." "But what about your flora of the valley?" "You have me there. But that--you didn't think That was worth money to me? Still I own It goes against me not to finish it For the friends it might bring me. By the way, I had a letter from Burroughs--did I tell you?-- About my Cyprepedium reginæ; He says it's not reported so far north. There! there's the bell. He's rung. But you go down And bring him up, and don't let Mrs. Corbin.-- Oh, well, we'll soon be through with it. I'm tired." Willis brought up besides the Boston lawyer A little barefoot girl who in the noise Of heavy footsteps in the old frame house, And baritone importance of the lawyer, Stood for a while unnoticed with her hands Shyly behind her. "Well, and how is Mister----" The lawyer was already in his satchel As if for papers that might bear the name He hadn't at command. "You must excuse me, I dropped in at the mill and was detained." "Looking round, I suppose," said Willis. "Yes, Well, yes." "Hear anything that might prove useful?" The Broken One saw Anne. "Why, here is Anne. What do you want, dear? Come, stand by the bed; Tell me what is it?" Anne just wagged her dress With both hands held behind her. "Guess," she said. "Oh, guess which hand? My my! Once on a time I knew a lovely way to tell for certain By looking in the ears. But I forget it. Er, let me see. I think I'll take the right. That's sure to be right even if it's wrong. Come, hold it out. Don't change.--A Ram's Horn orchid! A Ram's Horn! What would I have got, I wonder, If I had chosen left. Hold out the left. Another Ram's Horn! Where did you find those, Under what beech tree, on what woodchuck's knoll?" Anne looked at the large lawyer at her side, And thought she wouldn't venture on so much. "Were there no others?" "There were four or five. I knew you wouldn't let me pick them all." "I wouldn't--so I wouldn't. You're the girl! You see Anne has her lesson learned by heart."