Then he stooped down and kissed her, and she ran away up the hill-side, covered with red leaves, and holding a green leaf in her hand—a wonderful green leaf, as she afterward discovered.
She rushed into the cottage like a small cannon-ball, and startled her mother not a little, appearing in such strange attire, and too breathless to tell her story except in excited snatches that puzzled more than they explained, and for a short time the widow thought that a three-legged man had stolen Nannie's clothes, and was coming to-morrow to steal hers; but as soon as Nannie regained breath she made her understand the real state of the case.
"Wonder what he is?" said the mother, puzzled. "Three sticks—a big board."
After long cogitation she decided that he must be "one of them archertics from New York as took your photergraph."
"He's real kind, anyway," she added. "Why, child, he's give you ten dollars!"
"Ten dollars!" gasped Nannie, with an overwhelming sense of wealth.
Next morning the stranger appeared in good season, and won the widow's heart by his courtesy.
"Jest as polite as if I was the minister's wife," she afterward told Nannie.
He explained the mystery of the big board and three sticks, and showed how they were used, getting Nannie to stand for him again in her dress of leaves.
Nannie opened her eyes when he told her that her picture was going to New York to hang in "a great big room called the Academy." "At least I hope so," he added, laughing.