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Caption: Illio - 1896
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no our would ever know. He was a grand fellow—*h uree, she didn't care—there was Jack—of course, the didn't care. It would been fool^h to aspire to hli regard, but still it was a little hard—just » little hard. A s t e p t o u n d e d on the stair. Hie looked u p . H e w.n t h e r e , coming down om the art room* with a lm\ of instruments under hin arm. lie smiled when he iw her and paust»d when ho reached the landiic'. '• I'm thinkinv! it all o\er the paM y e a r / ' she said pleasant!). " I t has a very prosperous year for the 'Varsity, hasn't it'.' " • ' Y e s / ' he answered slowly, " b u t a fellow feels a little blue and homesick just Bow." 14 M Yes, I know ," she said gently, it must he hard to leave the dear old place. can under the circumstances. They tell me vou already have a tine position." He laid his box on the floor and sat down beside her. M " It isn't that, you know/" he answered, still speaking slowly, but there are things here associations—that 1 hate to give tip. I wont find them elsewhere." He paused, but she made no reply. After a moment he went on: 14 1 wish I might do it all over again—this last year. It has been such a miserable failure.'' She looked up in surprise. She wanted to answer him but she could think of nothing to say. A silence fell on t h e m . She looked at his box of instruments. She knew he was watching her. At last he spoke: H Do you think it has been a good y e a r ? Is there nothing you would have had different?" His voice was gentle—wistful. Something, too, there was in it which startled her. She rose hastily. 11 It is almost car t i m e / ' she said, ignoring his question and preparing to go. 11 1 do not want to say good-bye y e t , " he said, rising, " it is too soon; may I come to-night and bid you good-bye? " Apparently she did not hear him. She stood looking out the window and twisting the ring on her finger. He repeated his request. She started and the ring with which she was playing slipped from her fingers and rolled across the landing. It was merely an accident, but it seemed fraught with significance. The warm blood rushed to her cheeks. H e picked the ring from the corner where it had stopped and as he gave it back to her he asked again, in a voice which trembled a little: 44 Mav I c o m e ? " The color bad died from her face and her brown eyes met his calmly,sadly,as she answered: u 1 am sorry, but I promised to go to prayer meeting with mother." He knew he had his answer, and he bade her good-bye on the landing* Then she went down the dim stairway, and a moment later he heard the great doors close as she left the building. m — — F — — LUCILX A. BOOICKB, 222
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