Mr. Sherwood evidently did not think so, for the next day he walked by alone—­and the next day he did the same, this time bringing with him a book, and seating himself in the shadow of a chestnut tree not far from the schoolhouse.  The moment school was out, he arose and came forward, inquiring for Nellie, who, of course, introduced him to Mabel.  The three then walked on together, while Tom Jenkins stayed in the rear with me, wondering what I wanted to act so for; “couldn’t a feller like more than one girl if he wanted to?”

“Yes, I s’posed a feller could, though I didn’t know, nor care!”

Tom made no reply, but whittled away upon a bit of shingle, which finally assumed the shape of a heart, and which I afterward found in his desk with the letter “N” written upon it, and then scratched out.  When at last we reached our house Mr. Sherwood asked Nellie “where that old mine and sawmill were, of which she had told him so much.”

“Right on Miss Hudson’s way home,” said Nellie.  “Let’s walk along with her;” and the next moment Mr. Sherwood, Mabel, and Nellie were in the long, green lane which led down to the sawmill.

Oh, how Adaline stormed when she heard of it, and how sneeringly she spoke to Mr. Sherwood of the “factory girl,” insinuating that the bloom on her cheek was paint, and the lily on her brow powder!  But he probably did not believe it, for almost every day he passed the schoolhouse, generally managing to speak with Mabel; and once he went all the way home with her, staying ever so long, too, for I watched until ’twas pitch dark, and he hadn’t got back yet!

In a day or two he went home, and I thought no more about him, until Tom, who had been to the post-office, brought Mabel a letter, which made her turn red and white alternately, until at last she cried.  She was very absent-minded the remainder of that day, letting us do as we pleased, and never in my life did I have a better time “carrying on” than I did that afternoon when Mabel received her first letter from Mr. Sherwood.

CHAPTER V.

NEW RELATIONS.

About six weeks after the close of Mabel’s school we were one day startled with the intelligence that she was going to be married, and to Mr. Sherwood, too.  He had become tired of the fashionable ladies of his acquaintance, and when he saw how pure and artless Mabel was, he immediately became interested in her; and at last, overcoming all feelings of pride, he had offered her his hand, and had been accepted.  At first we could hardly credit the story; but when Mrs. Hudson herself confirmed it we gave it up, and again I wondered if I should be invited.  All the nicest and best chestnuts which I could find, to say nothing of the apples and butternuts, I carried to her, not without my reward either, for when invitations came to us I was included with the rest.  Our family were the only invited guests, and I felt no fears this time of being hidden by the crowd.