“And you’ve come home for good now, haven’t you?” His eyes were still drinking in the beauty of the girl, his mind neither on his questions nor her answers.

“Yes, forever and ever,” she replied, with a laugh that showed her white teeth.

“Did you like it at school?” It was her lips now that held his attention and the little curves under her dimpled chin.  He thought he had never seen so pretty a mouth and chin.

“Not always; but we used to have lots of fun,” answered the girl, studying him in return—­the way his cravat was tied and the part of his hair.  She thought he had well-shaped ears and that his nose and eyebrows looked like a picture she had in her room upstairs.

“Come and tell me about it.  Let’s sit down here,” he continued as he drew her to a sofa and stood waiting until she took her seat.

“Well, I will for a moment, until they begin to come in,” she answered, her face all smiles.  She liked the way he behaved towards her—­not asking her permission, but taking the responsibility and by his manner compelling a sort of obedience.  “But I can’t stay,” she added.  “Sister won’t like it if I’m not with her to shake hands with everybody.”

“Oh, she won’t mind me; I’m a great friend of Miss Jane’s.  Please go on; what kind of fun did you have?  I like to hear about girls’ scrapes.  We had plenty of them at college, but I couldn’t tell you half of them.”  He had settled himself beside her now, his appropriating eyes still taking in her beauty.

“Oh, all kinds,” she replied as she bent her head and glanced at the blossoms on her breast to be assured of their protective covering.

“But I shouldn’t think you could have much fun with the teachers watching you every minute,” said Bart, moving nearer to her and turning his body so he could look squarely into her eyes.

“Yes, but they didn’t find out half that was going on.”  Then she added coyly, “I don’t know whether you can keep a secret—­do you tell everything you hear?”

“Never tell anything.”

“How do I know?”

“I’ll swear it.”  In proof he held up one hand and closed both eyes in mock reverence as if he were taking an oath.  He was getting more interested now in her talk; up to this time her beauty had dazzled him.  “Never!  So help me—­” he mumbled impressively.

“Well, one day we were walking out to the park—­ Now you’re sure you won’t tell sister, she’s so easily shocked?” The tone was the same, but the inflection was shaded to closer intimacy.

Again Bart cast up his eyes.

“And all the girls were in a string with Miss Griggs, the Latin teacher, in front, and we all went in a cake shop and got a big piece of gingerbread apiece.  We were all eating away hard as we could when we saw Miss Sarah coming.  Every girl let her cake go, and when Miss Sarah got to us the whole ten pieces were scattered along the sidewalk.”