nine o'clock
Sometimes he read to her in a whisper ; sometimes he pointed slowly along the lines in silence , and the wise little eyes from above followed intently . All questions and explanations were saved till the next morning , when Draxy , still curled up like a kitten , would sit mounted on the top of the buckwheat barrel in the store , while her father lay stretched on the counter , smoking . They never talked to each other , except when no one could hear ; that is , they never spoke in words ; there was mysterious and incessant communication between them whenever they were together , as there is between all true lovers . At nine o'clock Reuben always shut the book , and said , `` Kiss me , little daughter . '' Draxy kissed him , and said , `` Good-night , father dear , '' and that was all . The other children called him `` pa , '' as was the universal custom in the village . But Draxy even in her babyhood had never once used the word .