"Then you do notice things! I thought you were blind. You are downright mean, David Eby! When you wore your first pair of long pants I noticed it right away and made a fuss about them and it takes you ten minutes to see that my hair is up instead of hanging in a silly braid down my back."
"I saw it first thing, Phœbe. That was mean—I'm sorry——"
"You look it," she said sceptically.
"I'm sorry," he repeated, "to see the braid go, though you look fine this way. I liked that long braid ever since the day I braided it, the day you played prima donna. Remember?"
The girl flushed, then was vexed at her embarrassment and changed suddenly to the old, appealing Phœbe.
"I remember, Davie. You were my salvation that day, you and Mother Bab."
Before they could answer she added with seeming innocency, yet with a swift glance into the face of the farmer boy, "I must go now so I'll be home when Phares comes to invite me to that sale. I'm going with him; I'm wild to go."
"Yes?" David said slowly.
"Yes," she repeated, a teasing look in her eyes.
"Mommie, isn't she fine?" David said after Phœbe was gone and he lingered in the house.