Peters。　　It　was　in　February；　I　remember　because　I　had　venturedwith
  incredible　daringto　send　Nancy　an　elaborate；　rosy　Valentine；　written　on
  the　back　of　it　in　a　handwriting　all　too　thinly　disguised　was　the
  following　verse；　the　triumphant　result　of　much　hard　thinking　in　school
  hours：
  Should　you　of　this　the　sender　guess
  Without　another　sign；
  Would　you　repent；　and　rest　content
  To　be　his　Valentine
  I　grew　hot　and　cold　by　turns　when　I　thought　of　its　possible　effects　on　my
  chances。
  One　of　those　useless；　slushy　afternoons；　I　took　Tom　for　a　walk　that　led
  us；　as　dusk　came　on；　past　Nancy's　house。　　Only　by　painful　degrees　did　I
  succeed　in　overcoming　my　bashfulness；　but　Tom；　when　at　last　I　had　blurted
  out　the　secret；　was　most　sympathetic；　although　the　ailment　from　which　I
  suffered　was　as　yet　outside　of　the　realm　of　his　experience。　　I　have　used
  the　word　〃ailment〃　advisedly；　since　he　evidently　put　my　trouble　in　the
  same　category　with　diphtheria　or　scarlet　fever；　remarking　that　it　was
  〃darned　hard　luck。〃　　In　vain　I　sought　to　explain　that　I　did　not　regard　it
  as　such　in　the　least；　there　was　suffering；　I　admitted；　but　a　degree　of
  bliss　none　could　comprehend　who　had　not　felt　it。　　He　refused　to　be
  envious；　or　at　least　to　betray　envy；　yet　he　was　curious；　asking　many
  questions；　and　I　had　reason　to　think　before　we　parted　that　his　admiration
  for　me　was　increased。　　Was　it　possible　that　he；　too；　didn't　love　Nancy？
  No；　it　was　funny；　but　he　didn't。　　He　failed　to　see　much　in　girls：　his
  tone　remained　commiserating；　yet　he　began　to　take　an　interest　in　the
  progress　of　my　suit。
  For　a　time　I　had　no　progress　to　report。　　Out　of　consideration　for　those
  members　of　our　weekly　dancing　class　whose　parents　were　Episcopalians　the
  meetings　were　discontinued　during　Lent；　and　to　call　would　have　demanded　a
  courage　not　in　me；　I　should　have　become　an　object　of　ridicule　among　my
  friends　and　I　would　have　died　rather　than　face　Nancy's　mother　and　the
  members　of　her　household。　　I　set　about　making　ingenious　plans　with　a　view
  to　encounters　that　might　appear　casual。　　Nancy's　school　was　dismissed　at
  two；　so　was　mine。　　By　walking　fast　I　could　reach　Salisbury　Street；　near
  St。　Mary's　Seminary　for　Young　Ladies；　in　time　to　catch　her；　but　even　then
  for　many　days　I　was　doomed　to　disappointment。　　She　was　either　in　company
  with　other　girls；　or　else　she　had　taken　another　route；　this　I　surmised
  led　past　Sophy　McAlery's　house；　and　I　enlisted　Tom　as　a　confederate。　　He
  was　to　make　straight　for　the　McAlery's　on　Elm　while　I　followed　Powell；
  two　short　blocks　away；　and　if　Nancy　went　to　Sophy's　and　left　there　alone
  he　was　to　announce　the　fact　by　a　preconcerted　signal。　　Through　long　and
  persistent　practice　he　had　acquired　a　whistle　shrill　enough　to　wake　the
  dead；　accomplished　by　placing　a　finger　of　each　hand　between　his　teeth；a
  gift　that　was　the　envy　of　his　acquaintances；　and　the　subject　of　much
  discussion　as　to　whether　his　teeth　were　peculiar。　　Tom　insisted　that　they
  were；　it　was　an　added　distinction。
  On　this　occasion　he　came　up　behind　Nancy　as　she　was　leaving　Sophy's　gate
  and　immediately　sounded　the　alarm。　　She　leaped　in　the　air；　dropped　her
  school…books　and　whirled　on　him。
  〃Tom　Peters！　How　dare　you　frighten　me　so！〃　she　cried。
  Tom　regarded　her　in　sudden　dismay。
  〃II　didn't　mean　to；〃　he　said。　　〃I　didn't　think　you　were　so　near。〃
  〃But　you　must　have　seen　me。〃
  〃I　wasn't　paying　much　attention；〃　he　equivocated；a　remark　not
  calculated　to　appease　her　anger。
  〃Why　were　you　doing　it？〃
  〃I　was　just　practising；〃　said　Tom。
  〃Practising！〃　exclaimed　Nancy；　scornfully。　　〃I　shouldn't　think　you　needed
  to　practise　that　any　more。〃
  〃Oh；　I've　done　it　louder；〃　he　declared；　〃Listen！〃
  She　seized　his　hands；　snatching　them　away　from　his　lips。　　At　this
  critical　moment　I　appeared　around　the　corner　considerably　out　of　breath；
  my　heart　beating　like　a　watchman's　rattle。　　I　tried　to　feign　nonchalance。
  〃Hello；　Tom；〃　I　said。　　〃Hello；　Nancy。　　What's　the　matter？〃
  〃It's　Tomhe　frightened　me　out　of　my　senses。〃　　Dropping　his　wrists；　she
  gave　me　a　most　disconcerting　look；　there　was　in　it　the　suspicion　of　a
  smile。　　〃What　are　you　doing　here；　Hugh？〃
  〃I　heard　Tom；〃　I　explained。
  〃I　should　think　you　might　have。　　Where　were　you？〃
  〃Over　in　another　street；〃　I　answered；　with　deliberate　vagueness。　　Nancy
  had　suddenly　become　demure。　　I　did　not　dare　look　at　her；　but　I　had　a　most
  uncomfortable　notion　that　she　suspected　the　plot。　　Meanwhile　we　had　begun
  to　walk　along；　all　three　of　us；　Tom；　obviously　ill　at　ease　and
  discomfited；　lagging　a　little　behind。　　Just　before　we　reached　the　corner
  I　managed　to　kick　him。　　His　departure　was　by　no　means　graceful。
  〃I've　got　to　go；〃　he　announced　abruptly；　and　turned　down　the　side　street。
  We　watched　his　sturdy　figure　as　it　receded。
  〃Well；　of　all　queer　boys！〃　said　Nancy；　and　we　walked　on　again。
  〃He's　my　best　friend；〃　I　replied　warmly。
  〃He　doesn't　seem　to　care　much　for　your　company；〃　said　Nancy。
  〃Oh；　they　have　dinner　at　half　past　two；〃　I　explained。
  〃Aren't　you　afraid　of　missing　yours；　Hugh？〃　she　asked　wickedly。
  〃I've　got　time。　　I'dI'd　rather　be　with　you。〃　　After　making　which
  audacious　remark　I　was　seized　by　a　spasm　of　apprehension。　　But　nothing
  happened。　　Nancy　remained　demure。　　She　didn't　remind　me　that　I　had
  reflected　upon　Tom。
  〃That's　nice　of　you；　Hugh。〃
  〃Oh；　I'm　not　saying　it　because　it's　nice；〃　I　faltered。　　〃I'd　rather　be
  with　you　thanwith　anybody。〃
  This　was　indeed　the　acme　of　daring。　　I　couldn't　believe　I　had　actually
  said　it。　　But　again　I　received　no　rebuke；　instead　came　a　remark　that　set
  me　palpitating；　that　I　treasured　for　many　weeks　to　come。
  〃I　got　a　very　nice　valentine；〃　she　informed　me。
  〃What　was　it　like？〃　　I　asked　thickly。
  〃Oh；　beautiful！　All　pink　lace　andand　Cupids；　and　the　picture　of　a　young
  man　and　a　young　woman　in　a　garden。〃
  〃Was　that　all？〃
  〃Oh；　no；　there　was　a　verse；　in　the　oddest　handwriting。　　I　wonder　who　sent
  it？〃
  〃Perhaps　Ralph；〃　I　hazarded　ecstatically。
  〃Ralph　couldn't　write　poetry；〃　she　replied　disdainfully。　　〃Besides；　it
  was　very　good　poetry。〃
  I　suggested　other　possible　authors　and　admirers。　　She　rejected　them　all。
  We　reached　her　gate；　and　I　lingered。　　As　she　looked　down　at　me　from　the
  stone　steps　her　eyes　shone　with　a　soft　light　that　filled　me　with
  radiance；　and　into　her　voice　had　come　a　questioning；　shy　note　that
  thrilled　the　more　because　it　revealed　a　new　Nancy　of　whom　I　had　not
  dreamed。
  〃Perhaps　I'll　meet　you　againcoming　from　school；〃　I　said。
  〃Perhaps；〃　she　answered。　　〃You'll　be　late　to　dinner；　Hugh；　if　you　don't
  go。。。。〃
  I　was　late；　and　unable　to　eat　much　dinner；　somewhat　to　my　mother's　alarm。
  Love　had　taken　away　my　appetite。。。。　　After　dinner；　when　I　was　wandering
  aimlessly　about　the　yard；　Tom　appeared　on　the　other　side　of　the　fence。
  〃Don't　ever　ask　me　to　do　that　again；〃　he　said　gloomily。
  I　did　meet　Nancy　again　coming　from　school；　not　every　day；　but　nearly
  every　day。　　At　first　we　pretended　that　there　was　no　arrangement　in　this；
  and　we　both　feigned　surprise　when　we　encountered　one　another。　　It　was
  Nancy　who　possessed　the　courage　that　I　lacked。　　One　afternoon　she　said：
  〃I　think　I'd　better　walk　with　the　girls　to…morrow；　Hugh。〃
  I　protested；　but　she　was　firm。　　And　after　that　it　was　an　understood　thing
  that　on　certain　days　I　should　go　directly　home；　feeling　like　an　exile。
  Sophy　McAlery　had　begun　to　complain：　and　I　gathered　that　Sophy　was
  Nancy's　confidante。　　The　other　girls　had　begun　to　gossip。　　It　was　Nancy
  who　conceived　the　brilliant　ideathe　more　delightful　because　she　said
  nothing　about　it　to　meof　making　use　of　Sophy。　　She　would　leave　school
  with　Sophy；　and　I　waited　on　the　corner　near　the　McAlery　house。　　Poor
  Sophy！　　She　was　always　of　those　who　piped　while　others　danced。　　In　those
  days　she　had　two　straw…coloured　pigtails；　and　her　plain；　faithful　face　is
  before　me　as　I　write。　　She　never　betrayed　to　me　the　excitement　that
  filled　her　at　being　the　accomplice　of　our　romance。
  Gossip　raged；　of　course。　　Far　from　being　disturbed；　we　used　it；　so　to
  speak；　as　a　handle　for　our　love…making；　which　was　carried　on　in　an
  inferential　rather　than　a　direct　fashion。　　Were　they　saying　that　we　were
  lovers？　　Delightful！　　We　laughed　at　one　another　in　the　sunshine。。。。　　At
  last　we　achieved　the　great　adventure　of　a　clandestine　meeting　and　went
  for　a　walk　in　the　afternoon；　avoiding　the　houses　of　our　friends。　　I've
  forgotten　which　of　us　had　the　boldness　to　propose　it。　　The　crocuses　and
  tulips　had　broken　the　black　mould；　the　flower　beds　in　the　front　yards
  were　beginning　to　blaze　with　scarlet　and　yellow；　the　lawns　had　turned　a
  living　green。　　What　did　we　talk　about？　　The　substance　has　vanished；　only
  the　flavour　remains。
  One　awoke　of　a　morning　to　the　twittering　of　birds；　to　walk　to　school
  amidst　delicate；　lace…like　shadows　of　great　trees　acloud　with　old　gold：
  the　buds　lay　curled　like　tiny　feathers　on　the　pavements。　　Suddenly　the
  shade　was　dense；　the　sunlight　white　and　glaring；　the　odour　of　lilacs
  heavy　in　the　air；　spring　in　all　its　fulness　had　come；spring　and　Nancy。
  Just　so　subtly；　yet　with　the　same　seeming　suddenness　had　budded　and　come