time, too,
for Harvey Lane told Hartley he was going to ask for a date."

And Jim had called back excitedly, "Bring her to the phone, quick; don't
waste a minute." And Lark was called, and the date was duly scheduled.

"Are you scared, Lark?" he asked her as they walked slowly down the
street toward the church.

"I'm not scared, Jim," she answered solemnly, "but I'm perfectly
cavernous, if you know what that means."

"I sure do know," he said fervently, "didn't I have to do a speech at
the commencement exercises? There never was a completer cavern than I
was that night. But I can't figure out why folks agree to do such things
when they don't have to. I had to. It was compulsory."

Lark gazed at him with limpid troubled eyes. "I can't figure out,
either. I don't know why I did. It was a mistake, some way."

At the church, which was gratifyingly crowded with Sunday-school
enthusiasts, the twins forsook their friends and slipped along the side
aisle to the "dressing-room,"--commonly utilized as the store room for
worn-out song books, Bibles and lesson sheets. There they sat in
throbbing, quivering silence with the rest of the "entertainers," until
the first strains of the piano solo broke forth, when they walked
sedately out and took their seats along the side of the platform--an
antediluvian custom which has long been discarded by everything but
Sunday-schools and graduating classes.

Printed programs had been distributed, but the superintendent called off
the numbers also. Not because it was necessary, but because
superintendents have to do something on such occasions and that is the
only way to prevent superfluous speech-making.

The program went along smoothly, with no more stumbles than is customary
at such affairs, and nicely punctuated with hand clappings. When the
superintendent read, "Recitation--Miss Carol Starr," the applause was
enthusiastic, for Carol was a prime favorite in church and school and
town. With sweet and charming nonchalance she tripped to the front of
the platform and gave a graceful inclination of her proud young head in
response to the applause. Then her voice rang out, and the room was
hushed. Nobody ever worried when Carol spoke a piece. Things always went
all right. And back to her place she walked, her face flushed, her heart
swelling high with the gratification of a good deed well done.

She sat down by Lark, glad she had done it, glad it was over, and
praying that Lark would com