she could not come to-night,"
she said.

The boy brightened visibly at her tone.

"She has a very severe cold," Maria added.

"I am sorry," said the boy. Then he said in a low tone whose boldness
and ardor were unmistakable, that it did not make any difference to
him who was there as long as she was. Maria could scarcely believe
her ears. She gave the boy a keen, incredulous glance, but he was not
daunted. "I mean it," he said.

"Nonsense," said Maria. She looked out of the window again. She told
herself that it was annoying but too idiotic to concern herself with.
She made up her mind that when they changed trolleys she would try to
find a seat with some one else. But when they changed she found the
boy again beside her. She was quite angry then, and made no effort to
disguise it. She sat quite still, gazing out of the window, shrugged
against it as closely as she was able to sit, and said nothing.
However, her face resumed its happy smile when she thought again of
Wollaston, and the boy thought the smile meant for him. He leaned
over her tenderly.

"I wish I could have a picture of you as you look to-night," he said.

"Well, I am afraid that you will have to do without it," Maria said
shortly. Still the boy remained insensible to rebuff.

"What are you carrying, Miss Edgham?" he asked, looking at her roses
enveloped in tissue paper.

"Some roses which a friend sent me," Maria replied.

Then the boy colored and paled a little. He jumped at once to the
conclusion that the friend was a man. "I suppose you are going to
wear them," he said pitifully.

"Yes, I am," replied Maria.

The boy in his turn sat as far away as possible in his corner of the
seat, and gazed ahead with a gloomy air.

When they reached the academy grounds he quite deserted Maria, who
walked to the chapel with one of the other teachers, who entered at
the same time. She was a young lady who lived in Westbridge. Maria
caught the pale glimmer of an evening gown under her long, red cloak
trimmed with white fur, and reflected that possibly she also had
adorned herself especially for Wollaston's benefit, and again she
felt that unworthy sense of pride and amusement. The girl herself
echoed her thoughts, for she said soon after Maria had greeted her:

"I saw Mr. Lee and his mother starting."

"Did you?" returned Maria.

"Don't you think he is very handsome?" asked the girl in a
sentimental tone which irritated.

"No," said Maria sharply