“O lets sit out here!” ses the widder. “You were talking of your gardin?” ses she turning to Mr. John wid a smile. “—er yes” ses he. “But I’m a mere noviss. Do you understand anything about the art?” “Do I?” ses she, sitting in the saftest veranda chare, “Why I’ve a reppytashun in the Poynt for me vigitibles. Have’nt I Una?” and she appealed to her frind, who has just infarmed Mr. James that sumtimes she cuts her papa’s lons wid her own fare hands, jest for exsysise. “Yes” ses Miss Una, nodding her pretty hed, “Why” ses she “theres a sertin kind of turnip nown to fame as The Widdy Jane.” “Una!” ses the widder larfing, “but relly” ses she turning back to Mr. John agin “I manage my own little farm all mesilf.” I let Mrs. Wolley out thru the fly dure and thin the auld gintleman wint out, also wid his face red and shining from the quick shave he’s given it. They all torked and larfed and thin finully got up to go. Thin Miss Claire asks carelessly. “And hoo are our naybours on this side?” and she intercated the doods place. “Have’nt they called on you yet” arsks the widder. Mrs. Wolley frowned a bit, but Miss Claire ses swately: “Oh yes one of the suns called.” “One of the suns!” ses the widder, “Why Harry’s the only child. Una here,” ses she, smiling “can tell you all about him.” “I!” ses Miss Una, opening her brown eyes wide, “O yes” ses she “Harry and I yused to be sweet on aich other senturies ago. Hes a deer boy” ses she, “and you’ll meet his mother soon I suppose, and old S. Judd Dudley.” Mr. Wolley and Mr. James both bounced up in their seets. The auld gintleman conthrolled himsilf. “Pardon me, my deer” ses he “but did I oonderstand you to say our naybour’s name was Dudley—S. Judd Dudley?” “Yes” ses she “the famiss S. Judd. Youve herd of him of coorse.” “I have” ses Mr. Wolley slowly, and the hole family looked at aich uther strayngely. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER XVI A WEEK LATER “The curse of true love” ses Miss Claire mornfully “never did run smoothly. O Delia” ses she “I wish I were ded!” “Whats the thrubble, darlint?” ses I stopping me wark for a moment. “Don’t you know?” she arsks. “Why no darling. Do you think I’m at the kayhole _all_ the time?” She larfed a bit throo her teers. Then she set down, and put her chin on her little hand. “Delia” ses she “do you know I havent spoken to Mr. Dudley for a week.” “My God miss” ses I, “are you cutting the lad?” She nods her hed sadly. “The poor lad!” ses I “and he do be wayting for you ivery day at the floury hidge.” “Papa wont let me go neer it” ses she wid a sob. “Then why dussent the yung spalpeen cum to the house thin?” ses I indigantly. “He did” ses she “twice—and—and James insoolted him. O Delia” ses she, and hides her face in her hands.