--
He was interrupted by Christina's pinching his arm, and stopped
suddenly. No one noticed in the dusk of the veranda, and when they
were out in the lane, Sandy asked an explanation. "I might as well
tell everybody first as last," he said, "it's decided now. And I'd
rather tell and get it over."

"Oh, don't," pleaded Christina, "wait for a little while. You don't
know what may happen. Don't say anything about it for a few days,
anyway. I--I want to think about it. Promise me you won't, Sandy,
till I let you."

Sandy promised reluctantly, saying she was a silly kid. Thinking for a
month, day and night, wouldn't double his bank account, but he
promised; and Christina proceeded to think about it as she had said,
and to think very hard and very seriously all the way down to the
village.

The old Temperance Hall was open and already several had arrived.
Burke Wright, with his little wife, Mitty, her face shining at being
out alone with her husband, were sitting on the steps and Joanna was
there laughing and chatting with Trooper Tom and, of course, Marmaduke
Simms, with a crowd of girls. For Marmaduke was a sort of
lover-at-large and made love openly and impartially to all the girls of
the village.

The McKenzie girls had proudly announced that Bruce was going away to
learn to be a doctor, and this piece of news was the chief topic of
conversation. The girls all half envied Ellen, half pitied her. It
took a deal of study and a dreadful long time to become a doctor,
Joanna explained, and as none of the McKenzies were very smart, Ellen
would be an old maid before Bruce was through. But Ellen seemed
radiantly happy, and no subject for commiseration, and every one agreed
that it was just the way with all the Lindsays, there was no end to
their luck.

The crowd gathered inside the hall, where a number of the boys were
bunched in a corner preparing the programme with much anxiety.

After the business of the evening which was never very heavy, there was
always a programme rendered by the boys and girls on alternate
evenings. To-night was the boys' turn to perform, which always meant a
great deal of fun for the girls. John Lindsay was President of the
Society, and was down on the programme for a speech on Reciprocity, and
there was to be a male chorus, both sure to be good numbers, for John
had some fame as a political speaker, and the boys of Orchard Glen
could always put up a fine chorus with Tremendous K.