ed of a Career. But I beleive love's the most
important."

Well, I shall pass lightly over what followed. Why is it that a girl
cannot speak of Love without every member of the Other Sex present, no
matter how young, thinking it is he? And as for mother maintaining that
I kissed that wreched Child, and they saw me from the drawing-room, it
is not true and never was true. It was but one more Misunderstanding
which convinced the Familey that I was carrying on all manner of afairs.

Carter Brooks had arrived that day, and was staying at the Perkins'
cottage. I got rid of the Perkins' baby, as his Nose was bleeding--but I
had not slaped him hard at all, and felt little or no compunction--when
I heard Carter coming down the walk. He had called to see Leila, but
she had gone to a beech dance and left him alone. He never paid any
attention to me when she was around, and I recieved him cooly.

"Hello!" he said.

"Well?" I replied.

"Is that the way you greet me, Bab?"

"It's the way I would greet most any Left-over," I said. "I eat hash at
school, but I don't have to pretend to like it."

"I came to see YOU."

"How youthfull of you!" I replied, in stinging tones.

He sat down on a Bench and stared at me.

"What's got into you lately?" he said. "Just as you're geting to be
the prettiest girl around, and I'm strong for you, you--you turn into a
regular Rattlesnake."

The kindness of his tone upset me considerably, to who so few kind Words
had come recently. I am compeled to confess that I wept, although I had
not expected to, and indeed shed few tears, although bitter ones.

How could I posibly know that the chaste Salute of Eddie Perkins and my
head on Carter Brooks' shoulder were both plainly visable against the
rising moon? But this was the Case, especialy from the house next door.

But I digress.

Suddenly Carter held me off and shook me somewhat.

"Sit up here and tell me about it," he said. "I'm geting more scared
every minute. You are such an impulsive little Beast, and you turn the
fellows' heads so--look here, is Jane Raleigh lying, or did you run away
and get married to somone?"

I am aware that I should have said, then and there, No. But it seemed a
shame to spoil Things just as they were geting interesting. So I said,
through my tears:

"Nobody understands me. Nobody. And I'm so lonely."

"And of course you haven't run away with anyone, have you?"

"Not--exactly."

"Bless you, Bab!" he said.