Now you talk just like Bobbins' sister. Behave, will you?" complained
Tom.

Ruth tripped out of the room to peep at the guest, and Aunt Alvirah
hobbled in and, letting herself down into her low chair, with a groan of
"Oh, my back! and oh, my bones!" smiled indulgently at Tom's gloomy face.

"What is the matter, Mister Tom?" she asked. "Truly, you look as colicky
as Amos Dodge--an' they do say he lived on sour apples!"

Tom had to laugh at this; but it was rather a rueful laugh. "I don't know
what is coming over these girls--Ruth and my sister," he said, "They're
beginning to put on airs like grown ladies. Cracky! they used to be some
fun."

"Growin' up, Mister Tom--growin' up. So's my pretty. I hate to see it, but
ye can't fool Natur'--no, sir! Natur' says to these young things:
'Advance!' an' they've jest got to march, I reckon," and Aunt Alvirah
sighed, too. Then her little, bird-like eyes twinkled suddenly and she
chuckled. "Jest the same," she added, in a whisper, "Ruth got out all her
doll-babies the other day and played with 'em jest like she was ten years
old."

"Ho, ho!" cried Tom, his face clearing up. "I guess she's only making
believe to be grown up, after all!"

Helen came finally and they left Tom alone in the kitchen to change his
clothes. Then the Camerons hurried away, for it was close to supper time.
Both Helen and Tom were greatly interested in the moving picture actress;
but she had fallen into a doze and they could not bid her good-bye.

"But I'm going to run down in the morning to see how she is," Tom
announced. "I'll see her before she goes away. She's a plucky one, all
right!"

"Humph!" thought Ruth, when the automobile had gone, "Tom seems to have
been wonderfully taken with that Miss Gray's appearance."

When Jabez Potter came in from the mill and found the strange girl in the
best bed he was inclined to criticize. He was a tall, dusty, old man, for
whom it seemed a hard task ever to speak pleasantly. Aunt Alvirah, when
she was much put out with him, said he "croaked like a raven!"

"Gals, gals, gals!" he grumbled. "This house seems to be nigh full of 'em
when you air to home, Niece Ruth."

"And empty enough of young life, for a fac', when my pretty is away," put
in Aunt Alvirah.

Ruth, not minding her Uncle Jabez's strictures, went about setting the
supper table with puckered lips, whistling softly. This last was an
accomplishment she had picked up from Tom long ago.

"And whist