ntimacy she could not understand her friend; and worst of all, it seemed

despairingly. "Because he's always seemed to me almost a joke. I don't know ho

s silence followed her outbreak. "There's no accounting for taste

my. "She's got plenty of sense, and to think of her lett

ow you feel about it. That's one of the things that make me so anxious-she'

k. He had brought Priscilla flowers and boxes of candy, to say nothing of books of poems, from which he had read aloud to her by the hour. Peggy, assuming that since Priscilla was seeing so much of Horace, he must b

g that had been a failure, socially considered. "He puts on airs as if he were the Prince of Wal

cilla likes

see through him just as the rest of us do; and even while sh

helped to reassure her anxiety in the matter of her own attractiveness. Moreover, Priscilla was a little dazzled by Horace's seeming familiarity with the people whose names were chronicled in the society columns of the daily paper. She had seen for herself that Mrs. Sidney Vanderpool regarded him with favor, and Horace had been at some pa

ce was concerned, and had been sensible enough to perceive that any criticism of her ardent admirer, instead of prejudicing Priscilla against him, was likely to have the opp

ace coming up to-night?" she asked Priscilla, as the two stro

d to see him," owned Prisc

'd be up. If Horace comes, bring him ov

iscilla inquired, a reservation in h

tty sure to be on hand," laughed Amy. "He's making up

"Horace thinks Bob Carey is fine, and he rather

e crimson. "Please tell me what

s a very fine fellow, as far as morals

side, it was quite unnecessary for Amy to speak so loudl

m quite an ordinary family, and he's only a clerk, a

laugh. "Horace Hitchcock

you, Amy." Priscilla spo

to make several Horaces. To think of that dandified littl

ell, how

ell what Horace Hitchcock is, and you needn

urned abruptly and crossed the street. The two girls continued on their homeward way with the

ole-hearted championship of Nelson had not necessitated sneering at Horace. Amy realized t

in an unwonted mood. She had dramatized the whole affair to herself. Everyone was unjust to Horace. Even Peggy allowed her childish pre

t was almost like strolling along country lanes. Though the night was warm, most of the populace preferred the movies, and Horace and Prisc

rd before. She was sure that something wonderful was happening. And the irritating part was that she could not do justice to it, for she kept thinking of something else

and loved before? You were mine, Priscilla, when the pyramids were building. You w

t present, not even to Priscilla's father and mother. Horace had said something to the effect that to let outsiders into their secret would bruise the petals of the flower of love, and she had agreed to the postponement of that catastrophe, without asking herself why the flower of love should be so fragile. But the fa

tics, and Mrs. Combs and Horace expressed themselves on the subject of the weather. Priscilla had nothing to say on either interesting topic. She was trying to realize that some day, instead of saying "Mr. Combs" and "Mrs. Combs," Horace would be addressing

isaster. On each occasion it took her several minutes to convince herself that nothing was wrong, that instead she was a very fortunate and happy girl, singled out of the

kfast. By expedition she reached the dining room just after her mother had seated herself. Her father fo

Mrs. Combs. "But I'm aston

he table and took his seat. "We should h

vanced age!" exclaimed his

edding seemed to me significant of extreme age. What do you think, daugh

nty-five years. He had a way of raising his eye-brows and pursing his mouth which, she was convinced, would drive her frantic in course of time. And then her relentless common-sense, awake at last, went on to assure her that the Horace Hitchcock who had made love to her in the park the previo

said Mr. Combs. "And I can't say I wonde

tle simpler. But he always looks so neat that it's refreshing to the eye. And by the way, dear, I think you had

scovery, the only sensible thing to do was to get in touch with Horace, and tell him that the lady with whom he had been on such friendly terms in Babylon was an e

rday. I'm ashamed of what I said. Of course," added Amy, her natural candor getting the better of her, "Horace Hitchcock doesn't a

her head on her visitor's shoulder-as Priscilla was tall and Amy was shor