wn efforts
at self-improvement; for Judge Maynard was eccentric and wealthy and no
one could foretell what might happen in the future.

Edith had moved away to make room for the newcomer, so that Polly and
her guest stood apart from the others.

Anthony was as lean as ever, although it was the leanness of muscular
strength, not weakness; his skin was dark and clear and his hazel eyes
gazed at one frankly, almost too directly. One had the sensation that it
might be difficult to conceal from him anything that he really wished to
know.

"Miss Polly," he began rather humbly, "I wonder if you would be willing
to do a favor for me?" He smiled, so that the lines about his mouth
became less grave. "Oh, I have not forgotten that you did not altogether
approve of Miss Betty's friendship for me when I came back to Woodford,
and I do not blame you."

"It was not Betty's friendliness for you that I minded," Polly returned
with a directness that was very often disconcerting.

The young man reddened and then laughed outright. "I thought it better
to put it that way, but if you must have the truth, of course I know it
was my liking for her to which you objected. But look here, Miss Polly,
no one knew of my admiration except you. So I suppose you know also that
every once in a while in these past two years Miss Betty has written me
a letter--perhaps half a dozen in all. So now I want you to take her
something from me. It does not amount to much, it is only a tiny package
that won't require a great deal of room in your trunk. Still I have not
the courage to send it her directly and yet I want her to know that I
have never forgotten that what she did for me gave me my first start. I
have improved a little in these past two years, don't you think? Am I
quite so impossible as I used to be?"

Polly frowned in reply; but she reached forward for the small parcel
that Anthony was extending toward her.

"Look here, Anthony," she protested, "for goodness sake don't make a
mountain out of a molehill, as the old saying goes. Betty Ashton did not
do anything more for you than she has done for dozens of other persons
when she could afford it, not half as much. So please cease feeling any
kind of obligation to her; she would hate it. And don't have any other
feeling either. Goodness only knows how these past two years in foreign
lands may have altered the Princess! Very probably she will even refuse
to have anything to do with me, if ever Miss