im. "Oh, oh! I've been watching
for you just hours and hours, and I thought you weren't never, _never_
coming!"

The visitor did not know what to say. He was scarcely prepared for
such an effusive welcome, and was suddenly seized with a fit of shyness.

"You're Scotty, aren't you?" she asked. He nodded and the vision
laughed aloud and clapped its small hands. The blue sunbonnet toppled
off, showing a shower of riotous golden curls, tumbled about in
delightful confusion; her eyes, big and blue, danced with joy. "Oh,
oh, I'm so glad!" she cried. "I 'membered you ever since I saw you in
that funny little shop!"

Scotty stared still harder. To hear Store Thompson's establishment
designated by such terms was beyond belief.

"I 'membered your eyes!" she added, nodding confidentially. Her baby
way of saying "'member" restored Scotty's confidence in himself.

"Well, I will remember you, too," he admitted sedately.

She laughed again and capered about him, while he stood and looked at
her rather puzzled. He did not see anything to laugh at, and did not
yet comprehend that here was a creature so joyous by nature that she
must laugh and dance about from sheer spontaneous delight.

"Oh, I'm so glad!" she reiterated for the tenth time. "I'll race you
to the house!"

She darted down the hill like a swallow, her golden hair blown back,
her little white bare feet twinkling over the grass. But Scotty was a
very greyhound for speed. He leaped after her and in a moment forged
ahead. When he had gone sufficiently far to show her how fast he could
run, he looked back to find her limping slowly after him. The boy's
tender heart, always quick to respond to the sight of pain, suddenly
smote him. He ran swiftly back. "What's the matter?" he asked.

"A fisel," she said plaintively, dropping upon the grass and showing
him the sole of her tender little foot. Running barefoot was not even
to be mentioned at home, and she had not yet grown accustomed to the
"freedom of the sod." Scotty, whose sturdy little brown feet were shod
with leather of their own making, stared contemptuously; she must
certainly be a baby to be hurt so easily. Nevertheless, he bent down
and extracted the tormentor with the skill acquired in many summers'
apprenticeship. Then he regarded her with half-disdainful amusement,
his shyness all vanished.

"Can't you say thistle?" he inquired.

The big blue eyes regarded him innocently. "I did say fi