he were saying something quite different "Tha'
does know how to get at a chap -- tha' does!
Tha's fair unearthly, tha's so knowin'."

And he stood without stirring -- almost without
drawing his breath -- until the robin gave another
flirt to his wings and flew away. Then he
stood looking at the handle of the spade as if there
might be Magic in it, and then he began to dig
again and said nothing for several minutes.

But because he kept breaking into a slow grin
now and then, Mary was not afraid to talk to him.

"Have you a garden of your own?" she asked.

"No. I'm bachelder an' lodge with Martin
at th' gate."

"If you had one," said Mary, "what would you
plant?"

"Cabbages an' 'taters an' onions."

"But if you wanted to make a flower garden,"
persisted Mary, "what would you plant?"

"Bulbs an' sweet-smellin' things -- but mostly
roses."

Mary's face lighted up.

"Do you like roses?" she said.

Ben Weatherstaff rooted up a weed and threw
it aside before he answered.

"Well, yes, I do. I was learned that by a
young lady I was gardener to. She had a lot in a
place she was fond of, an' she loved 'em like they

[[116]]

p115 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p116w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p117

v?