The mental transition to the matter of Janet’s invitation was a natural one.  He began to wish that she hadn’t been in such a hurry about giving it.  What could she want of Loren?  He wasn’t anything to her.  Why did she have to be all the time hankering after new friends?  “New friends!” With a slight internal start David realized that only three years ago Loren had never been away from home.  “New friends!” Why, Janet had known them both ever since the old days of skip-rope and hide and seek!  What more natural than that she should want to see her old play-fellow again?  Why should he complain?  Hadn’t she said once, “I love you, David,” and wasn’t that enough to make him trust her?

A little way down the road he heard the step of some one approaching and in a moment the shape of a man grew visible through the darkness.  He turned, opened the gate, and stepped to the porch.  In his hand he carried a suit-case.  This he set down heavily and approached the door.  David sprang to his feet.  “Why Loren, is that you?  We weren’t expecting you to-night.”

“Well, how are you, old boy?” cried the new-comer.  “It’s bully good to see you again.  No, I didn’t expect to get up to-night, but there wasn’t much doing at college and I didn’t get my invite, so I thought I might as well come on home.  Where are the folks?”

“Out at meeting just now, but they’ll be back in a little while.  Sit down, you must be tired.”

Loren took a chair and sunk into it with a sigh of comfort.  “You’re right I am.  I tell you it’s hard work to walk a mile and a half with a suit-case.  And all the time you were just sitting comfortably out here on the veranda listening to the katydids.”  He drew out his pipe and lit it.  “Well, how are all the folks?  Same as usual?”

“I guess so.  Father’s failing a little, and mother worries a good deal, but keeps pretty well.”

“That’s good.  They must be mighty glad to have one of us at home to look after things.  Lord, but I’ve often imagined you outdoors driving around in the open air and enjoying life when I’ve been plugging up for some beastly exam.  But, apropos of the health bulletin, etc., is Janet Manning here still, or has she gone off to college?”

“No, she’s teaching school at the Corners.  I saw her a minute to-night, and she invited us up to supper there on Sunday.”

“Good!  That’s something like.  Shall be much charmed to see the little schoolma’am again.  She’s a slick little girl—­at least she used to be.  In my opinion she’s wasting her time up here in the woods.  Why, that girl’s got ability, and I call it a shame for her to bury herself in the country just for her mother’s account.  But say, isn’t that a wagon coming?”

The two went down to the gate and stood there waiting for the buggy to draw up.  When Mr. and Mrs. Waring were out, David took the horse to the barn and unharnessed in the dark.  Then he reentered the house, and without saying anything more than “Good-night,” went up to his room.