‘By George!’ Dick said again.  ’You are a trump, Jerrie!  Why didn’t you wear that dress when you were graduated?  It’s the prettiest costume I ever saw.’

‘Th-that’s what I think, only I d-didn’t d-dare t-tell her so!’ Billy cried, springing to his feet and hopping about like a little robin.

‘How is Nina?’ Jerrie asked, ignoring the compliment.

‘Brisk as a bee,’ Dick replied, ’and sends an invitation for you to come over to a garden-tea to-night to meet Marian Raymond, Fred’s sister.  Awful pretty girl, with an accent like a foreigner; was over there several years, you know.  I was going to the Park House to invite you and Maude,’ he continued, turning to Tom, ’but as you are here, it will save me the walk.  Half-past five sharp.’

Then as his eye fell upon Billy, in whose face there was a look of expectancy, his countenance fell, for Nina had given him no instructions to invite the Peterkins, and he felt intuitively that there was nothing in common between Ann Eliza Peterkin and the refined and aristocratic Marian Raymond, who had seen the best society in Europe, and in whose veins some of Kentucky’s bluest blood was flowing.  But Dick was very kind-hearted, and never knowingly wounded the feelings of any one if he could help it; and, after an awkward moment, during which he was wondering what Nina would do to him if he did it, he turned to Billy and said, as naturally as if it were what he had been expressly bidden to say: 

’Why, I shan’t have to walk over to Le Bateau either.  I’m in luck this hot morning, if you will take the invitation to your sister—­for half-past five.’

‘Th-thanks,’ Billy began; ‘b-but am I left out?’

‘Of course not.  I’m an awful blunderer,’ Dick said, adding, mentally, ’and liar, too, though I didn’t say anybody would be happy to see them.  Poor Billy, he is well enough, and so is Ann Eliza, if she wouldn’t pile that red hair so high on the top of her head and wear so much jewelry.  Well, I am in for it, and Nina can’t any more than kill me.’

By this time Jerrie was bustling about, putting away the washing paraphernalia and sweeping the wood-shed, thus indicating that she had no more time to lose with her three callers, two of whom Dick and Billy, took the hint and left, but not until she had explained to the former that it would be impossible for Harold to be present at the garden-party, as she knew he would not be home until late, and would then be quite too tired for company.

‘I am sorry that he cannot join us.  I counted upon him,’ Dick said.  ’But you will come, of course, and I offer my services on the spot to see you home.  Do you accept them?’

Jerrie seemed to see, without looking, the disappointment in Billy’s face, and the wrath in Tom’s; but as she greatly preferred Dick’s society to theirs in a walk from Grassy Spring to the cottage, she accepted his offer, and then said, laughingly: