back fence as she was setting the table. "He'll be coming any minute, too," she told herself, the flush in her cheeks deepening. The three men walked through the back door just as she was taking the bread from the oven. Mr. Southland glanced at her without seeing her, but Mark smiled. "You look pretty, Molly," he whispered. "I hope so," she smiled secretively. "Well," Matt boomed, "Will you look at Molly! Look at that, Mark. There's our little sister in a pink dress. And look at that bow! Yes sir, a red, red ribbon in sister's hair. What're ya celebratin', Molly? You caught a man yet?" Molly ignored the taunt, still filled with the secret knowledge of how she was going to laugh at Matt. "Pa," Molly said hesitantly, her pulse throbbing rapidly. "There was a stranger here this morning. He was stuck down the road in the mud and wanted someone to help push him out soon's you got home." "He's gone," Mr. Southland grunted. "Gone?" Molly echoed. She could feel Mark's eyes on her flushed face; he instinctively knew the reason for the pink dress and squeaky hair. "He's gone, Molly," Mark said gently. "We passed by there coming home for dinner and helped push him out." "Gone," Molly whispered unbelievingly. "Yes," she whispered slowly, "I forgot you would be coming by there when you came home. I should have known." Matt's head shot up. "Well, what do you know about that, Pa? That young buck had done been here before we pushed him out," Matt guffawed. His derisive laugh filled the room. "Pa, looks like our gal Molly nearly got herself a beau. No wonder she's so spruced up." Molly sat there. She felt dead inside. She could feel the snap of the electricity in her hair as her fingers slowly drew the red bow from her hair and let it drop to the floor. by Lillian Gropper Haiku by Claudia Turner Face dawn in the sand Discovering a thousand Sea shells, one by one. 44