You know Mrs.Peyton was feelin' kind of run down so her son Arthur--I call him Arthur to his face because I used to sew there when he wan't more'n knee high--well, Arthur said she'd have to have somebody to wait on her every minute and she thought she'd rather have Lydy than anybody else because Lydy was always so handy in a sickroom.

That was six months ago, and Lydy's been stayin' on there ever since.

She says there ain't anybody on earth like Mr.Arthur, and she never could make out why you didn't marry him.

He ain't ever had an eye for anybody but you, and he's got yo' picture--the one in the white dress--on his bureau and he keeps a rose in a vase before it all the time.

That ain't much like a man, but then there always was a heap of a girl in Arthur in little ways, wan't there ?" "I wonder why I didn't marry him ?" said Gabriella softly; and not until Miss Polly answered her, was she aware that she had spoken aloud.