worry. They aren't
going to run away and get married. She's just full of sentimental
nonsense, and thinks it romantic and grown-up to steal out in the night
to meet some idiot of a boy--you can see that's all he is by his build.
Probably somebody we know, don't you think that's the best plan?"

"Yes, for to-night," agreed Evelyn, in a troubled whisper. "I feel as if
I ought to talk to her when she comes in, though."

"If you do you'll just make her angry. The thing is to let her go
uncaught until we can think what to do. Little simpleton!"

"I'll do as you say, but--don't be hard on her, Jeff. She's just silly;
she hasn't been brought up like your sisters."

"Or like you," thought Jeff, as he watched the figure before him flit
away toward the house. He followed at a distance, till he saw the door
close on Evelyn; then he went back to his post.

The next morning, as he and Evelyn walked down the road through the
apple-orchard toward the gateway, to open the rural-delivery mail-box,
which stood just outside the gate, Jeff told Evelyn what he had found
out.

"Nothing more serious than a simple case of spoon," he said, with an
expression at which Evelyn might have laughed if she had not felt so
disturbed. "The boy turned out to be our next neighbour here. They've
made another appointment for to-night. He thinks it a great
lark--probably will brag about it to all the boys. He's got to eat his
little dish of humble pie, too. Evelyn, I've a plan. Will you trust me
to carry it out to-night?"

She looked at him. In her face was written a concern for Lucy so tender
that Jeff adored her for it. At the same time he hastened to assure her
that it was needless.

"If you merely talk with her I don't think that will do it," he said,
decidedly. "She's been with you all winter, has seen just how a girl
should behave,"--he did not know what a thrill of happiness this bluntly
sincere compliment gave his hearer--"and she hasn't taken it in a bit.
She needs something to bring her to her senses. I'd rather not tell you
my plan, for if you can assure her afterward that you weren't in it, you
can do her more good than if she's as provoked at you as she's sure to
be at me. But I give you my word of honour I'll not do a thing to
frighten her, or play any fool practical jokes. I'll have to let Just
into the secret, I think, but nobody else. Will you trust me?"

"Of course, I will," said the girl, quickly. "On just one condition,
Jeff.