NowAlbertoMiguelCarlosSperanzahadnotbeenaccustomedtothissortoftreatmentfromyoungpersonsoftheothersex，andhewalkedawayinahuff。Buttheunusualisalwaysattractive，andthenexttimeheandMissKendallmethewasasgraciousandcordialasever。Butitwasnotlongbeforehelearnedthatthegraciousnesswas，inhercase，amistake。Wheneverhegrewlofty，shetookhimdown，laughedathimwithcompletefrankness，andrefusedtotreathimasanythingbutaboy。Sotheygraduallygrewfriendly，andwhentheymetatpartiesorchurchsocialshespentmostofthetimeinhercompany，or，rather，hewouldhavesospentithadshepermitted。ButshewasprovokinglyimpartialandwasquiteaslikelytorefuseadancewithhimtositoutonewithSamThatcherorBenHammondoranyothervillageyouthofheracquaintance。However，althoughshepiquedandirritatedhim，hewasobligedtoadmittohisinnerconsciousnessthatshewasthemostinterestingpersonhehadyetdiscoveredinSouthHarniss，alsothatevenintheeyesofsuchconnoisseursashisfellowmembersoftheseniorclassatschoolshewouldhavebeenjudgedagoodlooker，inspiteofhercountryclothes。
Hemetherfather，ofcourse。TheReverendMr。Kendallwasadreamylittleoldgentlemanwithwhitehairandthestoopedshouldersofastudent。Everybodylikedhim，anditwasforthatreasonprincipallythathewasstilltheoccupantoftheCongregationalpulpit，fortoquoteCaptainZelotes，hissermonswereinclinedtobelikethesandyroaddowntoSetuckitPoint，tenmilelonganddryalltheway。Hewasawidowerandhisdaughterwashiscompanionandmanaginghousekeeper。Therewasahalf-growngirl，oneofthenumerousPricefamily，acousinofIssachar’s，whohelpedoutwiththesweeping，dish-washingandcooking，butHelenwastherealheadofthehousehold。
Andshe’sacapableone，too，declaredMrs。Snow，whenatsupperoneeveningHelen’snamehadcomeintotheconversation。I
declarewhenIwasthereyesterdaytoseetheministeraboutreadin’poetrytousatsewin’-circlenextMondaythatparlorwasasneataswax。And’twasallHelen’sworkthatkeptitso，thatwasplainenough。Youcouldseeherwayofsettin’avaseorputtin’onatableclothwhereveryoulooked。Nobodyelsehasjustthatway。Andshedoesitafterschoolorbeforeschoolor’mostanyoddtime。Andwhatever’tisisdoneright。
Thehousekeeperputinaword。There’snodoubtaboutthat，shesaid，andthereain’tanymoredoubtthatshedon’tgetmuchhelpfromherpaorthatMariaB。ThereweresomanyPriceswithinthetownshiplimitsthatindividualswereusuallydistinguishedbytheirmiddleinitial。AsforMr。Kendall，wentonRachel，hemoveswithhisheadinthecloudsandhisfeetcruisin’withnobodyatthewheeltwo-thirdsofthetime。EmmaSmithsaystomeyesterday，saysshe，’Mr。Kendallisasaintonearth，ain’the，’