trouble to me to have things go on so. I'm really getting to
dislike him. You are the one he ought to love. Perhaps all this time you
are the one he does love," said Sally, with a sudden energy, as if a new
thought had dawned in her mind.

"Oh, no; he does not even love me as he once did, when we were
children," said Mara. "He is so shut up in himself, so reserved, I know
nothing about what passes in his heart."

"No more does anybody," said Sally. "Moses Pennel isn't one that says
and does things straightforward because he feels so; but he says and
does them to see what _you_ will do. That's his way. Nobody knows why he
has been going on with me as he has. He has had his own reasons,
doubtless, as I have had mine."

"He has admired you very much, Sally," said Mara, "and praised you to me
very warmly. He thinks you are so handsome. I could tell you ever so
many things he has said about you. He knows as I do that you are a more
enterprising, practical sort of body than I am, too. Everybody thinks
you are engaged. I have heard it spoken of everywhere."

"Everybody is mistaken, then, as usual," said Sally. "Perhaps Aunt Roxy
was in the right of it when she said that Moses would never be in love
with anybody but himself."

"Aunt Roxy has always been prejudiced and unjust to Moses," said Mara,
her cheeks flushing. "She never liked him from a child, and she never
can be made to see anything good in him. I know that he has a deep
heart,--a nature that craves affection and sympathy; and it is only
because he is so sensitive that he is so reserved and conceals his
feelings so much. He has a noble, kind heart, and I believe he truly
loves you, Sally; it must be so."

Sally rose from the floor and went on arranging her hair without
speaking. Something seemed to disturb her mind. She bit her lip, and
threw down the brush and comb violently. In the clear depths of the
little square of looking-glass a face looked into hers, whose eyes were
perturbed as if with the shadows of some coming inward storm; the black
brows were knit, and the lips quivered. She drew a long breath and burst
out into a loud laugh.

"What _are_ you laughing at now?" said Mara, who stood in her white
night-dress by the window, with her hair falling in golden waves about
her face.

"Oh, because these fellows are so funny," said Sally; "it's such fun to
see their actions. Come now," she added, turning to Mara, "don't look so
grave and sanctified. It's be