ew her head to his shoulder, where he could feel the
warm fragrant breath against the "lovely chin."

"You like 'them' old," he repeated, smiling. "You are very generous. One
old one is all I want you to like." But when he leaned toward her lips,
Carol drew away swiftly. "Don't be afraid of me, Carol. You didn't mind
once when I kissed you." He laid his hand softly on her round cheek. "I
am too old, dearest, but I've been loving you for years I guess. I've
been waiting for you since you were a little freshman, only I didn't
know it for a while. Say something, Carol--I don't want you to feel
timid with me. You love me, don't you? Tell me, if you do."

"I--I." She looked up at him desperately. "I--well, I made you say it,
didn't I?"

"Did you want me to say it, dearest? Have you been waiting, too? How
long have you--"

"Oh, a long time; since that night among the rose bushes at the
parsonage."

"Since then?"

"Yes; that was why it didn't break my pledge when you kissed me. Because
I--was waiting then."

"Do you love me?"

"Oh, P'fessor, don't make me say it right out in plain English--not
to-night. I'm pretty nearly going to cry now, and--" she twinkled a
little then, like herself, "you know what crying does to my complexion."

But he did not smile. "Don't cry," he said. "We want to be happy
to-night. You will tell me to-morrow. To-night--"

"To-night," she said sweetly, turning in his arms so that her face was
toward him again, "to-night--" She lifted her arms, and put them softly
about his neck, the laces falling back and showing her pink dimpled
elbows. "To-night, my dearest,--" She lifted her lips to him, smiling.

THE END

* * * * *

Transcriber's Notes:

Obvious punctuation errors correcteded.

Page 17, "make" changed to "made". (made a mistake)

Page 61, "Fairly" changed to "Fairy". (declared Fairy earnestly)

Page 72, "envoleped" changed to "enveloped". (enveloped in a)

Page 112, word "a" added to text. (playing a game)

Page 135, "ordinariy" changed to "ordinary". (ordinary style of)

Page 142, "though" changed to "thought". (thought about it)

Page 150, "Daly" changed to "Raider". (office. Mr. Raider)

Page 166, "ny" changed to "any". (any business to)

Page 193, "noisiness" changed to "nosiness". (downright nosiness)

Page 212, "stanchly" changed to "staunchly". (Carol staunchly
disclaimed)