It did not vex her that Sylvia should think Chris Stewart had given her the flowers ; nay , it was all the better , since she would be the less likely to suspect the real donor . The main thing was that Sylvia should have the delight of them . That quite satisfied the Old Lady , who went back to her lonely house with the cockles of her heart all in a glow . It soon was a matter of gossip in Spencervale that Chris Stewart was leaving Mayflowers at the beech hollow for the music teacher every other day . Chris himself denied it , but he was not believed . Firstly , there were no Mayflowers in Spencervale ; secondly , Chris had to go to Carmody every other day to haul milk to the butter factory , and Mayflowers grew in Carmody , and , thirdly , the Stewarts always had a romantic streak in them . Was not that enough circumstantial evidence for anybody ? As for Sylvia , she did not mind if Chris had a boyish admiration for her and expressed it thus delicately . She thought it very nice of him , indeed , when he did not vex her with any other advances , and she was quite content to enjoy his Mayflowers . Old Lady Lloyd heard all the gossip about it from the egg pedlar , and listened to him with laughter glimmering far down in her eyes . The egg pedlar went away and vowed he 'd never seen the Old Lady so spry as she was this spring ; she seemed real interested in the young folk 's doings . The Old Lady kept her secret and grew young in it . She walked back to the Mayflower hill as long as the Mayflowers lasted ; and she always hid in the spruces to see Sylvia Gray go by . Every day she loved her more , and yearned after her more deeply . All the long repressed tenderness of her nature overflowed to this girl who was unconscious of it . She was proud of Sylvia 's grace and beauty , and sweetness of voice and laughter . She began to like the Spencer children because they worshipped Sylvia ; she envied Mrs. Spencer because the latter could minister to Sylvia 's needs . Even the egg pedlar seemed a delightful person because he brought news of Sylvia -- her social popularity , her professional success , the love and admiration she had won already . The Old Lady never dreamed of revealing herself to Sylvia . That , in her poverty , was not to be thought of for a moment .
It would have been very sweet XXXXX know her -- sweet to have her come to the old house -- sweet to talk to her -- to enter into her life .
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