of average size, but they looked somewhat small in comparison with his
body and his long arms, which swung by his sides as he walked. He was a
young man, bushy-bearded, with bright and observant eyes. As he passed us,
he looked very hard at my companion, and, I am sorry to say, she turned
her head and gazed steadfastly at him.

[Illustration: "'SHE TURNED HER HEAD.'"]

"'That's a fine figure of a man,' she said. 'He looks strong enough for
anything.'

"I didn't encourage her admiration. 'He might be made useful on a farm,'
I said; 'if his legs were as big as the rest of him, he could draw a plow
as well as an ox.'

"She made no answer to this; but her interest in astronomy seemed to
decrease, and she soon proposed that we should turn back to the town. On
the way we met the stranger again, and this time he stopped and asked us
some questions about the country and the neighborhood. All the time we
were talking he and my scholar were looking at each other, and each of
them seemed entirely satisfied with the survey. The next day the girl was
very inattentive at school, and in the afternoon, when I hoped to take
a walk with her, I could not find her, and went out by myself. Before
long I saw her sitting under a tree, talking to the stranger of
yesterday."

"She was a regular flirt," said Mrs. Crowder.

"Apparently she was," replied her husband; "but although I might have
excused her, considering how much better suited this stranger was to her,