it an appearance of winking at us in a friendly fashion through
its vines--at least, so the Story Girl said; and, indeed, we
could see it for ourselves after she had once pointed it out to
us.

We did not get into the house, however. We met the Awkward man
in his yard, and he gave us a quarter apiece for our library. He
did not seem awkward or shy; but then we were only children, and
his foot was on his native heath.

He was a tall, slender man, who did not look his forty years, so
unwrinkled was his high, white forehead, so clear and lustrous
his large, dark-blue eyes, so free from silver threads his rather
long black hair. He had large hands and feet, and walked with a
slight stoop. I am afraid we stared at him rather rudely while
the Story Girl talked to him. But was not an Awkward Man, who
was also a hermit and kept blue silk dresses in a locked room,
and possibly wrote poetry, a legitimate object of curiosity? I
leave it to you.

When we got away we compared notes, and found that we all liked
him--and this, although he had said little and had appeared
somewhat glad to get rid of us.

"He gave us the money like a gentleman," said the Story Girl. "I
felt he didn't grudge it. And now for Mr. Campbell. It was on
HIS account I put on my red silk. I don't suppose the Awkward
Man noticed it at all, but Mr. Campbell will, or I'm much
mistaken."