Absalom did not understand. "Well, I guess I know he ain't a lady. I guess I know what his sek is!"
Tillie sighed in despair, and sank back on the settee. For a few minutes they sat in strained silence.
"I never seen a girl like what you are! You're wonderful different to the other girls I've knew a'ready."
Tillie did not reply.
"Where d'you come by them books you read?"
"The Doc gets them for me."
"Well, Tillie, look-ahere. I spoke somepin to the Doc how I wanted to fetch you somepin along when I come over sometime, and I ast him what, now, he thought you would mebbe like. And he sayed a book. So I got Cousin Sally Puntz to fetch one along fur me from the Methodist Sunday-school li-bry, and here I brung it over to you."
He produced a small volume from his coat pocket.
"I was 'most ashamed to bring it, it's so wonderful little. I tole Cousin Sally, 'Why didn't you bring me a bigger book?' And she sayed she did try to get a bigger one, but they was all. There's one in that li-bry with four hunderd pages. I tole her, now, she's to try to get me that there one next Sunday before it's took by somebody. This one's 'most too little."
Tillie smiled as she took it from him. "Thank you, Absalom. I don't care if it's LITTLE, so long as it's interesting—and instructive," she spoke primly.