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damp； salt breeze from the ocean blowing across it。 They walked for
the first few minutes in silence。 There were a dozen questions he
would have liked to ask； but his jealous resentment had not entirely
vanished and his pride forbade。 It was she who spoke first。
〃Albert；〃 she said； 〃you must think this very odd。〃
He knew what she meant； but he did not choose to admit it。
〃What？〃 he asked。
〃Why； my asking you to walk home with me； afterafter our trouble。
It is strange； I suppose； particularly as you had not spoken before
this whole evening。〃
〃_I_spoken to YOU？ Why； you bowed to me when I came into the
room and that was the only sign of recognition you gave me until
just now。 Not a dancenot one。〃
〃Did you expect me to look you up and beg you to dance with me？〃
〃Did you expect me to trot at that fellow's heels and wait my
chance to get a word with you； to take what he left？ I should say
not！ By George； Helen； I〃
She interrupted him。 〃Hush； hush！〃 she pleaded。 〃This is all so
silly； so childish。 And we mustn't quarrel any more。 I have made
up my mind to that。 We mustn't。〃
〃Humph！ All right； _I_ had no thought of quarreling in the
beginning。 But there are some things a self…respecting chap can't
stand。 I have SOME pride； I hope。〃
She caught her breath quickly。 〃Do you think；〃 she asked； 〃that it
was no sacrifice to my pride to beg you to walk home with me？
Afterafter the things you said the other evening？ Oh； Albert；
how could you say them！〃
〃Well〃 he hesitated； and then added； 〃I told you I was sorry。〃
〃Yes； but you weren't really sorry。 You must have believed the
things that hateful Issachar Price said or you wouldn't have
repeated them。 。 。 。 Oh； but never mind that now； I didn't mean to
speak of it at all。 I asked you to walk home with me because I
wanted to make up our quarrel。 Yes； that was it。 I didn't want to
go away and feel that you and I were not as good friends as ever。
So； you see； I put all MY pride to one sideand asked。〃
One phrase in one sentence of this speech caught and held the young
man's attention。 He forgot the others。
〃You are going away？〃 he repeated。 〃What do you mean？ Where are
you going？〃
〃I am going to Cambridge to study。 I am going to take some courses
at Radcliffe。 You know I told you I hoped to some day。 Well； it
has been arranged。 I am to live with my cousin； father's half
sister in Somerville。 Father is well enough to leave now and I
have engaged a capable woman； Mrs。 Peters； to help Maria with the
housework。 I am going Friday morning； the day after to…morrow。〃
He stopped short to stare at her。
〃You are going away？〃 he asked； again。 〃You are going to do that
andand Why didn't you tell me before？〃
It was a characteristic return to his attitude of outraged royalty。
She had made all these plans； had arranged to do this thing； and he
had not been informed。 At another time Helen might have laughed at
him； she generally did when he became what she called the 〃Grand
Bashaw。〃 She did not laugh now； however； but answered quietly。
〃I didn't know I was going to do it until a little more than a week
ago；〃 she said。 〃And I have not seen you since then。〃
〃No； you've been too busy seeing someone else。〃
She lost patience for the instant。 〃Oh； don't； don't； don't！〃 she
cried。 〃I know who you mean； of course。 You mean Ed Raymond。
Don't you know why he has been at the house so much of late？ Why
he and I have been so much together？ Don't you really know？〃
〃What？ 。 。 。 No； I don'texcept that you and he wanted to be
together。〃
〃And it didn't occur to you that there might be some other reason？
You forgot； I suppose； that he and I were appointed on the Ticket
Committee for this very dance？〃
He had forgotten it entirely。 Now he remembered perfectly the
meeting of the French Relief Society at which the appointment had
been made。 In fact Helen herself had told him of it at the time。
For the moment he was staggered； but he rallied promptly。
〃Committee meetings may do as an excuse for some things；〃 he said；
〃but they don't explain the resthis calls here every other
evening andand so on。 Honest now； Helen； you know he hasn't been
running after you in this way just because he is on that committee
with you； now don't you？〃
They were almost at the parsonage。 The light from Mr。 Kendall's
study window shone through the leaves of the lilac bush behind the
white fence。 Helen started to speak； but hesitated。 He repeated
his question。
〃Now don't you？〃 he urged。
〃Why； why； yes； I suppose I do；〃 she said； slowly。 〃I do know
now。 But I didn't even think of such a thing untiluntil you came
that evening and told me what Issy Price said。〃
〃You mean you didn't guess at all？〃
〃Wellwell； perhaps II thought he liked to comeliked to Oh；
what is the use of being silly！ I did think he liked to call； but
only as a friend。 He was jolly and lots of fun and we were both
fond of music。 I enjoyed his company。 I never dreamed that there
was anything more than that until you came and were sodisagreeable。
And even then I didn't believeuntil to…night。〃
Again she hesitated。 〃To…night？〃 he repeated。 〃What happened to…
night？〃
〃Oh nothing。 I can't tell you。 Oh； why can't friends be friends
and not。 。 。 。 That is why I spoke to you； Albert； why I wanted to
have this talk with you。 I was going away so soon and I couldn't
bear to go with any unfriendliness between us。 There mustn't be。
Don't you see？〃
He heard but a part of this。 The memory of Raymond's face as he
had seen it when the young man strode out of the cloakroom and out
of the hotel came back to him and with it a great heart…throbbing
sense of relief； of triumph。 He seized her hand。
〃Helen；〃 he cried； 〃did hedid you tell him Oh； by George；
Helen； you're the most wonderful girl in the world！ I'mI Oh；
Helen； you know II〃
It was not his habit to be at a loss for words； but he was just
then。 He tried to retain her hand； to put his arm about her。
〃Oh； Helen！〃 he cried。 〃You're wonderful！ You're splendid！ I'm
crazy about you！ I really am！ I〃
She pushed him gently away。 〃Don't！ Please don't！〃 she said。
〃Oh； don't！〃
〃But I must。 Don't you see I。 。 。 。 Why； you're crying！〃
Her face had； for a moment； been upturned。 The moon at that moment
had slipped behind a cloud； but the lamplight from the window had
shown him the tears in her eyes。 He was amazed。 He could have
shouted； have laughed aloud from joy or triumphant exultation just
then； but to weep！ What occasion was there for tears； except on Ed
Raymond's part？
〃You're crying！〃 he repeated。 〃Why； Helen！〃
〃Don't！〃 she said； again。 〃Oh； don't！ Please don't talk that
way。〃
〃But don't you want me to； Helen？ II want you to know how I
feel。 You don't understand。 I〃
〃Hush！ 。 。 。 Don't； Al； don't； please。 Don't talk in that way。 I
don't want you to。〃
〃But why not？〃
〃Oh； because I don't。 It'sit is foolish。 You're only a boy； you
know。〃
〃A boy！ I'm more than a year older than you are。〃
〃Are you？ Why yes； I suppose you are； really。 But that doesn't
make any difference。