uted it. "But
that's nothing--just nothing! The big thing with me now--the reward I
want--is to hear you say that I've won out with you. Is it so,
Janice--have I won out with _you_?"

The long lashes screened the hazel eyes again. She looked on the one
hand and on the other. There really seemed no escape, this greatly
metamorphosed Nelson Haley was _so_ insistent.

So she raised her lashes again and looked straight into his eyes. What
she whispered the echo might have heard; and she nodded her head
quickly, several times.

* * * * *

They came up through the grassy lane in the gloaming. Mrs. Beasely would
be waiting supper for her boarder; but Nelson scouted the idea that he
should not see Janice home first.

Lights had begun to twinkle in the sitting-rooms of the various houses
along the street. But there was a moon. Indeed, that was the excuse they
had for remaining so late on the shore of the inlet. They had stopped to
see it rise.

Through the thick trees the moonlight searched out the side porch of
Hopewell Drugg's store. The plaintive notes of the storekeeper's violin
breathed tenderly out upon the evening air:

"Darling, I am growing old--
Silver threads among the gold"

sighed Janice, happily. "And that is Miss 'Rill beside him there on the
porch--don't you see her?"

"I see," said Nelson. "Mrs. Beasely is helping 'Rill make her wedding
gown. Little Lottie is going to have a new mamma."

"And--and Hopewell's been playing that old song to her all these years!"
murmured Janice. "They are just as happy----"

"Aren't they!" agreed Nelson, with a thrill in his voice. "I hope that
when we're as old as they are, we'll be as happy, too. Do you
suppose----"

Nobody but Janice heard the rest of his question--not even the echo!

THE END

CHARMING BOOKS FOR GIRLS

May be had wherever books are sold. Ask for Grosset & Dunlap's list

_WHEN PATTY WENT TO COLLEGE_, By Jean Webster.

Illustrated by C. D. Williams.

One of the best stories of life in a girl's college that has ever been
written. It is bright, whimsical and entertaining, lifelike, laughable
and thoroughly human.

_JUST PATTY_, By Jean Webster.

Illustrated by C. M. Relyea.

Patty is full of the joy of living, fun-loving, given to ingenious
mischief for its own sake, with a disregard for pretty convention which
is an unfailing source of joy to her fellows.

_THE POO