was the only one that surmised Jed Morrill was going to marry
again.... I should almost like Ivory for myself, he is so tall and
handsome, but of course he can never marry anybody; he is too poor and
has his mother to look after. I wouldn't want to take him from Waity,
though, and then perhaps I couldn't get him, anyway.... If I couldn't,
he'd be the only one! I've never tried yet, but I feel in my bones,
somehow, that I could have any boy in Edgewood or Riverboro, by just
crooking my forefinger and beckoning to him.. .. I wish--I wish--they
were different! They don't make me want to beckon to them! My forefinger
just stays straight and doesn't feel like crooking!... There's Cephas
Cole, but he's as stupid as an owl. I don't want a husband that keeps
his mouth wide open whenever I'm talking, no matter whether it's sense
or nonsense. There's Phil Perry, but he likes Ellen, and besides he's
too serious for me; and there's Mark Wilson; he's the best dressed,
and the only one that's been to college. He looks at me all the time in
meeting, and asked me if I wouldn't take a walk some Sunday afternoon. I
know he planned Ellen's party hoping I'd be there!--Goodness gracious,
I do believe that is his horse coming behind me! There's no other in the
village that goes at such a gait!"

It was, indeed, Mark Wilson, who always drove, according to Aunt Abby
Cole, "as if he was goin' for a doctor." He caught up with Patty almost
in the twinkling of an eye, but she was ready for him. She had taken
off her sunbonnet just to twirl it by the string, she was so warm with
walking, and in a jiffy she had lifted the clustering curls from her
ears, tucked them back with a single expert movement, and disclosed two
coral pendants just the color of her ear-tips and her glowing cheeks.

"Hello, Patty!" the young man called, in brusque country fashion, as he
reined up beside her. "What are you doing over here? Why aren't you on
your way to the party? I've been over to Limington and am breaking my
neck to get home in time myself."

"I am not going; there are no parties for me!" said Patty plaintively.
"Not going! Oh! I say, what's the matter? It won't be a bit of fun
without you! Ellen and I made it up expressly for you, thinking your
father couldn't object to a candy-pull!"

"I can't help it; I did the best I could. Wait-still always asks father
for me, but I wouldn't take any chances to-day, and I spoke to him
myself; indeed I almost coaxed him!