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           "Keerful,now,Nancy!"interruptedtheoldman,withaslowgrin. "YouknowwhatyousaidwhenItoldyeshewashandsomeonce." 

           Nancyshruggedhershoulders. 

           "Oh,sheain’thandsome,ofcourse; butIwillownupshedon’tlooklikethesamewoman,whatwiththeribbonsan’lacejiggersMissPollyannamakesherwear‘roundherneck." 

           "Itoldyeso,"noddedtheman."Itoldyeshewa’n’t—old." 

           Nancylaughed. 

           "Well,I’llownupsheHAIN’Tgotquitesogoodanimitationofit—asshedidhave,‘foreMissPollyannacome. Say,Mr.Tom,whoWASherAlover? Ihain’tfoundthatout,yet;Ihain’t,Ihain’t!" 

           "Hain’tye?"askedtheoldman,withanoddlookonhisface."Well,Iguessyewon’tthenfromme." 

           "Oh,Mr.Tom,comeon,now,"wheedledthegirl. "Yesee,thereain’tmanyfolksherethatICANask." 

           "Maybenot.Butthere’sone,anyhow,thatain’tanswerin’,"grinnedOldTom. Then,abruptly,thelightdiedfromhiseyes. "Howisshe,ter-day—thelittlegal?" 

           Nancyshookherhead. Herface,too,hadsobered. 

           "Justthesame,Mr.Tom. Thereain’tnospecialdiff’rence,asIcansee—oranybody,Iguess. Shejestlaystherean’sleepsan’talkssome,an’triestersmilean’be‘glad’‘causethesunsetsorthemoonrises,orsomeothersuchthing,tillit’senoughtermakeyerheartbreakwithachin’." 

           "Iknow; it’sthe‘game’—blesshersweetheart!"noddedOldTom,blinkingalittle. "ShetoldYOU,then,too,aboutthat‘ere—game?"