Hiram rose from the bench, and made a low bow to Polly, the bells jingling in his hands. “That’s the first compliment that’s come my way since I got through my schooling,” he said, with a twinkle in his blue eyes. “While I was ’tending school the teachers would praise me up because I had a good head for remembering. I could recite pieces. There was a piece beginning ‘On Linden when the sun was low,’ that was in considerable demand. I presume I could recollect it, if given time.” “Oh, will you please say it to me, some time?” pleaded Polly. “I do love to hear poetry!” “I’ll teach it to ye, gestures and all,” said Hiram, much gratified. “There’s a good deal depends on the gestures, mind. What’s this now, coming to interrupt?” he added, as Arctura appeared in the doorway. “Mis’ Deacon Talcott has come to call, and Miss Hetty told me to send Mary in,” said Arctura. “She’s a real pleasant woman, you won’t mind her.” She straightened out Polly’s apron bows, and the little girl walked slowly away, after saying good-by to her host and promising to “call again soon.” “She’s got a pair of honest eyes in her head as ever I saw, and she’s a real sweet-dispositioned child,” said Arctura, looking after Polly, “but I don’t know as I ever saw one of her age so quiet.” “She’s been kept with a parcel of old folks, and we aren’t much better,” said Hiram, thoughtfully. “Miss Hetty was telling me she couldn’t seem to find out any kind of play the child cared about, but I said to her, give the little thing time; probably work is what she’s used to, more’n anything else; let her get used to play gradual, I say; don’t try to make her give up her old folks’ ways all at once. She’s ready for fun, soon as she knows it is fun,” said Hiram, “I can see that.” “Well,” said Arctura, briskly, “I’ll say one thing for her, she don’t tell how hard she’s been worked, or say anything but what’s pleasant about the Manser Farm folks. She seems fond of ’em all, and yet I kind of think she holds back something, for once in a while she’ll start to tell one thing or another, and then stop and bite her lip.” “I know one thing, sure,” said Hiram, firmly, as his sister stepped out of the barn, “that little thing’s no hypocrite, nor no cheat, or my name’s something beside Green! Let’s see, how did that piece go? ‘On Linden when the sun was low, all bloodless lay the untrodden snow.’ Soon as I get these bells out of my hands,” he muttered, as he turned back to the bench, “I’ll just run through that, with the gestures. I don’t believe there’s a line of it that’s escaped me, if I am going on a hundred!” CHAPTER X A DELIGHTFUL CALLER