arm curved about as a pillow for the face which was hidden, with only
the bright hair gleaming in the stray rays of sunshine that crept
through the young leaves overhead.

"Leslie, little girl--my darling--what is the matter?"

He scarcely knew what he was saying, so anxiously he watched her. Was
she hurt or in trouble, and if so, what was the trouble? Did the vapid
little guest and the Freshman Vamp have anything to do with it?
Somehow he forgot all about himself now and his own grievance--he
only wanted to comfort her whom he loved, and it never entered his
head that just at that moment the anxious Halsted was inquiring of
everyone: "Haven't you seen Letchworth? Class Day'll be a mess without
him! Something must have happened to him!"

Leslie lifted a tear-stained face in startled amaze. His voice! Those
precious words! Leslie heard them even if _he_ took no cognizance of
them himself.

"I--you--WELL, YOU ought to know----!" burst forth Leslie and then
down went the bright head once more and the slender shoulders shook
with long-suppressed sobs.

It certainly was a good thing that the creek was shallow at that point
and the canoes quite used to all sorts of conditions. Howard
Letchworth waited for no invitation. He arose and stepped into
Leslie's boat, pinioned his own with a dextrous paddle, and gave
attention to comforting the princess. It somehow needed no words for
awhile, until at last Leslie lifted a woebegone face that already
looked half-appeased and inquired sobbily:

"What made you act so perfectly horrid all this time?"

"Why--I----" began Howard lamely, wondering now just why he _had_----!
"Why, you see, Leslie, you had company and----"

"Company! _That!_ Now, Howard, you weren't jealous of that little
excuse for a man, were you?"

Howard colored guiltily:

"Why, you see, Leslie, you are so far above me----"

"Oh, I was, was I? Well, if I was above _you_, where did you think
that other ridiculous little simp belonged, I should like to know?
_Not_ with _me_, I hope?"

"But you see, Leslie----" somehow the great question that had loomed
between them these weeks dwarfed and shrivelled when he tried to
explain it to Leslie----

"Well----?"

"Well, I've just found out you are very rich----"

"Well?"

"Well, _I'm_ POOR."

"But I thought you just said you _loved_ me!" flashed Leslie
indignantly. "If you do, I don't see what rich and poor matter. It'll
all belong to us both, won't it?"