boy did
give him five dollars, which has started all this gossip."

When Aunt Susan came in she fairly pounced upon her. "Why haven't you
told me, auntie, about all this gossip that's going the rounds regarding
Mr. Nason and myself? I know you have heard it."

"It's all nonsense, Alice," answered that lady rather sharply, "and you
are foolish to listen to 'em. I've heard it, of course, but so long as
it's no discredit to you, why, let it go into one ear and out t'other,
same as I do! Folks must talk in this town, an' what they're sayin'
'bout you ought to make you feel proud--that a young fellow like him,
and worth money, wanted to come courtin', an' he certainly showed he
did, or I'm no judge."

It was homely advice, and from the standpoint of Aunt Susan, as well as
most of the world-wise matrons of Sandgate, it was good advice.

"He's got Aunt Susan on his side as well as Bert," Alice thought, "and I
am glad I kept him at a distance now, just to pay him for being so silly
with his money."

Late that afternoon Alice called upon Abby Miles, and talked about
everything except the subject she most wanted to talk about, and then,
as Abby usually had a Sunday evening caller, Alice came home at dusk.
Never before had the house seemed so lonesome, and as she sat on the
porch and tried to talk with Aunt Susan her thoughts were elsewhere.

When the lights across the valley, which served as curfew by saying
bed-time when they went out, had disappeared, she came in, and seating
herself in the dark at the piano softly played the chords and hummed the
words of a song which need not be mentioned.

"It'll come out all right," said Aunt Susan to herself, and she waited
till Alice called to her to come in and go to bed.

CHAPTER XIX

PLOTS AND PLANS

"The best laid schemes o' mice and men," etc., proved itself true in
Frank Nason's case. He had consoled himself during the many months of
hard study with visions of a yachting-trip in July and August, when
perhaps in some manner Alice Page could be induced to come, with his
mother and sisters to chaperone her, and her brother and some other
friends to complete the party.

He had the "Gypsy" put in first-class shape and all her state-rooms
refurnished, and one in particular, which he intended Alice should
occupy, upholstered in blue. So well formed were his plans that he timed
the start so as to utilize the July moon for the first ten days, and
mapped out a trip taki