“Well, well!” said a voice behind them; and to the unspeakable confusion of both, Jerry Billings rose from a porch chair and came down to them.

“I couldn’t help hearing,” explained that gentleman, joyously.  “I was there first.  I wish you joy, children.  Miss Sally, here’s my best wishes!  I never dreamed you two—­and yet I knew something had brought father all the way from New York.  But I never dreamed of this!  This ought to land me the Call job, all right!  Hasn’t that occurred to either of you?  Why, nobody has turned in anything to touch it!” He looked at his watch.  “I had better be getting down there, too,” he said excitedly.  “Tomorrow’s the first of May, by George! and I’ve got to get any stuff in by ten.  And there I’ve been sitting, cursing my luck for an hour!  Here goes!”

“Look here, Jerry,” began Sally and Anthony together, “look here—­”

“You mean you don’t want it announced?” said Mr. Billings, blankly.  A pained look clouded the radiance of his face.  “Isn’t it true?”

“We don’t wish it announced yet,” said Sally, feebly, as Anthony was silent.

“I call that pretty mean!” ejaculated Mr. Billings, after a pause.  “It’s true,” he went on aggrievedly.  “I landed it—­every old woman in town will be on to it in a few weeks—­it’s a corking job for me—­ every one’s wondering what Mr. Fox is doing here—­and now you two hang back, just because you’ve not had time to tell your friends!  Aw, be sports,” he said ingratiatingly.  “Please, Miss Sally!  I’d do as much for you two.  You know I may not be able to make it at all, next year, if I haven’t a job!  I can have it, can’t I?  I get it, don’t I, Tony?  What do you two care—­you’ve got what you want—­”

“Oh, take your scoop!” half groaned young Anthony Fox.

Sally began to laugh, but it was curiously shaken laughter.  Mr. Billings wisely seized this moment for a rapid departure.  Mr. Fox, coming to the door a moment later, found the others silent on the steps.

“Now we are in for it!” said Sally, ruefully, as they made room for him between them.  “What shall we do?  Jerry’s got it for the Call—­we couldn’t lie about it!  And, oh, we can’t have it in print to-morrow!  Can you—­can’t you stop it?”

“Too late now!” said young Anthony, with a bad attempt at unconcern.

“Tell me what happened,” said his father.

The recent developments were rapidly reviewed, and then Sally, removing herself and her wide-spreading ruffles to young Anthony’s side of the steps, so that she might from time to time give his hand an affectionate and enlightening squeeze, confessed the deception of her engagement to him, and, with her blue eyes very close to his, asked him meekly to forgive her.

Young Anthony’s forgiveness was a compound of boyish hurt and undisguised relief.  It is probable that at no moment of their friendship had she seemed more dear to him.