crinkle in the corner of his eyes that might have been called shrewd in
eyes less beautifully calm. "Let's trust a lot to Henrietta's powers of
observation of her mother and--her neighbors." He smiled suddenly, with
his whole face, over both Sallie and me, and went on down the street in
a way that made me sure he was forgetting all about all of us before he
reached the corner of the street.

"Isn't that old mossback a treat for the sight of gods and men?" asked
Polk with a laugh as we all stood watching the old gray coat-tails
flapping in the warm breeze that was rollicking across the valley.

"I don't know what I would do without him," said Sadie softly, with
tears suddenly misting the violets in her eyes as she turned away from
us with the baby in her arms and went slowly up the front walk of
Widegables.

"Please come stay with me a little while, Evelina," she pleaded back
over her shoulder. "I feel faint."

I hesitated, for, as we were on my side of the Road, Polk was still my
guest.

"Go on with Sallie, sweetie," he answered my hesitating. "I don't want
the snapped-off fraction of a declaration like you were about to offer
me. I can bide my time--and get my own." With which he turned and got
into his car as I went across the street.

Jane, I feel encouraged. I have done well to-day to get half way through
my declaration of independence--though he doesn't think that is what it
is going to be--to Polk. If I can just tell him how much I love him,