Ellis? Who's the
lady?"

Ellis glanced furtively at Mary, squirming his bare toes on the dusty
floor. "Wal, I cal'lated I could find it," he replied. "I undertook
it on my own hook, and I guess I'll see it through. I'd like the fun
of restorin' it, if I can, Jim."

The postmaster laughed. "You're right cute, Ellis," he said. "Parker
gone a-fishin' yet?"

"No," Ellis told him; "he's goin' on Cap'n Abe Larkins' boat. They're
loadin' up now. They cal'late to get off in a day or two."

Jim Taylor nodded, and, having despatched the business with Ellis, he
turned to wait upon a customer, for this was store and post-office as
well.

Mary was surprised to find that every one, young and old was called by
the first name; it seemed to her a queer custom. She would have said
Mr. Taylor, but Ellis called even the old men Joshua and Abner and all
that. She did not criticise, however, for she was very grateful to
Ellis for not disclosing her secret. Really he was a boy of very fine
feelings, she decided, and she spoke her thought by saying: "You are
very good to do all this for me, Ellis."

Ellis looked confused. He had not been brought up to receive praise.
"Oh, it ain't nothin'," he said awkwardly. Then changing the subject
suddenly, he exclaimed: "There's Luella Barnes!"

"Where?" cried Mary in alarm.

"Comin' out of the ice-cream saloon with Granville. I guess he fetched
her over."

"I wonder if she's come after me," said Mary looking scared.

"Did she know you were comin'?"

"No, but I said I would go over to the Whartons'. I meant to go when I
told her, so maybe she thinks I am there and thought there was no need
for her to stay in. She goes somewhere every afternoon anyhow, so I
fancy she hasn't come for me, after all, though I'd rather not see her."

However this was not to be avoided, for Luella had caught sight of Mary
and was about to bear down upon her when her attention was distracted
by a friend who hailed her and in the meantime Mary slipped out of
sight. "That was Mary Reid as sure as shootin'," said Luella to
Granville.

"I guess not," he replied. "What would she be doing over here?"

"I cal'lated she'd gone to Whartons'," said Luella, pinching her under
lip thoughtfully as she looked down the road.

"Maybe she did go and they've fetched her over in their launch."

Luella "cal'lated" that was just the way of it, and gave herself no
further uneasiness, so Mary escaped by plunging