all this for some one else.
The thought made him angry. He really felt abused in anticipation. She
was doing all this for him just in sisterly kindness, and likely as not
thinking of somebody else whom she loved better all the time. It is
astonishing how cool and dignified this consideration made our hero as
he faced up to the window. He was, after all, in hopes she might blush,
and look agitated at seeing him suddenly; but she did not. The foolish
boy did not know the quick wits of a girl, and that all the while that
he had supposed himself so sly, and been holding his breath to observe,
Mara had been perfectly cognizant of his presence, and had been
schooling herself to look as unconscious and natural as possible. So she
did,--only saying,--

"Oh, Moses, is that you? Where have you been all day?"

"Oh, I went over to see Parson Sewell, and get my pastoral lecture, you
know."

"And did you stay to dinner?"

"No; I came home and went rambling round the rocks, and got into our old
cave, and never knew how the time passed."

"Why, then you've had no dinner, poor boy," said Mara, rising suddenly.
"Come in quick, you must be fed, or you'll get dangerous and eat
somebody."

"No, no, don't get anything," said Moses, "it's almost supper-time, and
I'm not hungry."

And Moses threw himself into a chair, and began abstractedly snipping a
piece of tape with Mara's very best scissors.

"If you please, sir, don't demolish that; I was going to stay one of
your collars with it," said Mara.

"Oh, hang it, I'm always in mischief among girls' things," said Moses,
putting down the scissors and picking up a bit of white wax, which with
equal unconsciousness, he began kneading in his hands, while he was
dreaming over the strange contents of the morning's letter.

"I hope Mr. Sewell didn't say anything to make you look so very gloomy,"
said Mara.

"Mr. Sewell?" said Moses, starting; "no, he didn't; in fact, I had a
pleasant call there; and there was that confounded old sphinx of a Miss
Roxy there. Why don't she die? She must be somewhere near a hundred
years old by this time."

"Never thought to ask her why she didn't die," said Mara; "but I presume
she has the best of reasons for living."

"Yes, that's so," said Moses; "every old toadstool, and burdock, and
mullein lives and thrives and lasts; no danger of their dying."

"You seem to be in a charitable frame of mind," said Mara.

"Confound it all! I hate this world. If I