“I love you, I love you!” Glenn repeated it like a litany.  “Nancy!  Does it make you as happy because I love you as it makes me because you love me?”

“Oh, ten thousand times ten thousand times more!” she said fervently.

“I think it was your hair I fell in love with, first off,” he told her presently.  “I have never seen a girl with such hair, and such a lot of it.  I’m crazy about your hair, Nancy.”

“I think you must be,” she agreed whole-heartedly.  She wasn’t vain, his girl!

They had no more plans than birds or flowers have.  Plenty of time for sober planning by and by, when one grew accustomed to the sweet miracle of being beloved as much as one loved!  Glenn simply took it for granted he was going to marry her.  He had known her all of three months—­a lifetime, really!—­and she had allowed him to kiss her, had admitted she cared.  He supposed they would have to wait until he had been through his training and won that coveted degree.  Until then, they would keep their beautiful secret to themselves; they didn’t wish to share it with anybody, yet.

It was only when she was alone in her room that night that Nancy realized the true situation that confronted her.  On the one side was Glenn, dear, wonderful Glenn, who loved her.  On the other was Peter Champneys, who had married her as she had married him, for the Champneys money.  Peter Champneys! who despised her, and whom she must consider a barrier between herself and whatever happiness life might offer her!  She could understand how Glenn had made his mistake.  Nobody had explained Peter to him.  To tell him the truth now meant to lose him.  She was like a person dying of thirst, yet forbidden to drink the cup of cold water extended to her.

Wasn’t it wiser to take what life offered, drain the cup, and let come what might?  Why not snatch her chance of happiness, even though it should be brief?  Suppose one waited?  Deep in her heart was the hope that something would happen that would save her; youth always hopes something is going to happen that will save it.  Wasn’t it possible Peter might fall in love with somebody, and divorce her?  One saw how very possible indeed such a thing was!  For the present, let Glenn love her.  It was the most important and necessary thing in the world that Glenn should love her.  What harm was she doing in letting Glenn love her?  Particularly when Peter Champneys didn’t, never would, any more than she ever could or would love Peter Champneys.

Even Mrs. MacGregor noticed the change taking place in Anne Champneys.  The girl had more color and animation, and at times she even ventured to express her own opinions, which were strikingly shrewd and fresh and original.  Her eyes had grown sweeter and clearer, now that she no longer slitted them, and her mouth was learning to curve smilingly.  Decidedly, Anne was vastly improved!  And her manner had subtly changed, too; she was beginning to show an individuality that wasn’t without a nascent fascination.