ys as the place where I shall meet my mother,"
she said calmly.

These words recalled the man to himself for a moment and he was silent.
Presently he seated himself on a stone. His lips were tremulous as he
said, in a low tone, "Sit down by me, Myrtle."

"No," she answered, with something which chilled him in her voice, "we
will not stay here any longer; it is time to go home."

"Full time!" muttered Cynthia Badlam, whose watchful eyes had been upon
them, peering through a screen of yellow leaves, that turned her face
pace as if with deadly passion.

CHAPTER XIV. FLANK MOVEMENT.

Miss Cynthia Badlam was in the habit of occasionally visiting the Widow
Hopkins. Some said but then people will talk, especially in the country,
where they have not much else to do, except in haying-time. She had
always known the widow, long before Mr. Gridley came there to board, or
any other special event happened in her family. No matter what people
said.

Miss Badlam called to see Mrs. Hopkins, then, and the two had a long
talk together, of which only a portion is on record. Here are such
fragments as have been preserved.

"What would I do about it? Why, I'd put a stop to such carry'n's on,
mighty quick, if I had to tie the girl to the bedpost, and have a
bulldog that world take the seat out of any pair of black pantaloons
that come within forty rod of her,--that's what I'd do about it! He
undertook to be mighty sweet with our Susan one while, but ever sence
he's been talkin' religion with Myrtle Hazard he's let us alone. Do as
I did when he asked our Susan to come to his study,--stick close to your
girl and you 'll put a stop to all this business. He won't make love to
two at once, unless they 're both pretty young, I 'll warrant. Follow
her round, Miss Cynthy, and keep your eyes on her."

"I have watched her like a cat, Mrs. Hopkins, but I can't follow her
everywhere,--she won't stand what Susan Posey 'll stand. There's no use
our talking to her,--we 've done with that at our house. You never know
what that Indian blood of hers will make her do. She's too high-strung
for us to bit and bridle. I don't want to see her name in the paper
again, alongside of that" (She did not finish the sentence.) "I'd rather
have her fished dead out of the river, or find her where she found her
uncle Malachi!"

"You don't think, Miss Cynthy, that the man means to inveigle the girl
with the notion of marryin' her by and by, after poor Mrs. St