Just　so　subtly；　yet　with　the　same　seeming　suddenness　had　budded　and　come
  to　leaf　and　flower　a　perfect　understanding　；which　nevertheless　remained
  undefined。　　This；　I　had　no　doubt；　was　my　fault；　and　due　to　the
  incomprehensible　shyness　her　presence　continued　to　inspire。　　Although　we
  did　not　altogether　abandon　our　secret　trysts；　we　began　to　meet　in　more
  natural　ways；　there　were　garden　parties　and　picnics　where　we　strayed
  together　through　the　woods　and　fields；　pausing　to　tear　off；　one　by　one；
  the　petals　of　a　daisy；　〃She　loves　me；　she　loves　me　not。〃　　I　never
  ventured　to　kiss　her；　I　always　thought　afterwards　I　might　have　done　so；
  she　had　seemed　so　willing；　her　eyes　had　shone　so　expectantly　as　I　sat
  beside　her　on　the　grass；　nor　can　I　tell　why　I　desired　to　kiss　her　save
  that　this　was　the　traditional　thing　to　do　to　the　lady　one　loved。　　To　be
  sure；　the　very　touch　of　her　hand　was　galvanic。　　Paradoxically；　I　saw　the
  human　side　of　her；　the　yielding　gentleness　that　always　amazed　me；　yet　I
  never　overcame　my　awe　of　the　divine；　she　was　a　being　sacrosanct。　　Whether
  this　idealism　were　innate　or　the　result　of　such　romances　as　I　had　read　I
  cannot　say。。。。　　I　got；　indeed；　an　avowal　of　a　sort。　　The　weekly　dancing
  classes　having　begun　again；　on　one　occasion　when　she　had　waltzed　twice
  with　Gene　Hollister　I　protested。
  〃Don't　be　silly；　Hugh；〃　she　whispered。　　〃Of　course　I　like　you　better　than
  anyone　elseyou　ought　to　know　that。〃
  We　never　got　to　the　word　〃love；〃　but　we　knew　the　feeling。
  One　cloud　alone　flung　its　shadow　across　these　idyllic　days。　　Before　I　was
  fully　aware　of　it　I　had　drawn　very　near　to　the　first　great　junction…point
  of　my　life；　my　graduation　from　Densmore　Academy。　　We　were　to　〃change
  cars；〃　in　the　language　of　Principal　Haime。　　Well　enough　for　the　fortunate
  ones　who　were　to　continue　the　academic　journey；　which　implied　a
  postponement　of　the　serious　business　of　life；　but　month　after　month　of
  the　last　term　had　passed　without　a　hint　from　my　father　that　I　was　to
  change　cars。　　Again　and　again　I　almost　succeeded　in　screwing　up　my
  courage　to　the　point　of　mentioning　college　to　him；never　quite；　his
  manner；　though　kind　and　calm；　somehow　strengthened　my　suspicion　that　I
  had　been　judged　and　found　wanting；　and　doomed　to　〃business〃：　galley
  slavery；　I　deemed　it；　humdrum；　prosaic；　degrading！　　When　I　thought　of　it
  at　night　I　experienced　almost　a　frenzy　of　self…pity。　　My　father　couldn't
  intend　to　do　that；　just　because　my　monthly　reports　hadn't　always　been
  what　he　thought　they　ought　to　be！　　Gene　Hollister's　were　no　better；　if　as
  good；　and　he　was　going　to　Princeton。　　Was　I；　Hugh　Paret；　to　be　denied　the
  distinction　of　being　a　college　man；　the　delights　of　university　existence；
  cruelly　separated　and　set　apart　from　my　friends　whom　I　loved！　held　up　to
  the　world　and　especially　to　Nancy　Willett　as　good　for　nothing　else！　　The
  thought　was　unbearable。　　Characteristically；　I　hoped　against　hope。
  I　have　mentioned　garden　parties。　　One　of　our　annual　institutions　was　Mrs。
  Willett's　children's　party　in　May；　for　the　Willett　house　had　a　garden
  that　covered　almost　a　quarter　of　a　block。　　Mrs。　Willett　loved　children；
  the　greatest　regret　of　her　life　being　that　providence　had　denied　her　a
  large　family。　　As　far　back　as　my　memory　goes　she　had　been　something　of　an
  invalid；　she　had　a　sweet；　sad　face；　and　delicate　hands　so　thin　as　to　seem
  almost　transparent；　and　she　always　sat　in　a　chair　under　the　great　tree　on
  the　lawn；　smiling　at　us　as　we　soared　to　dizzy　heights　in　the　swing；　or
  played　croquet；　or　scurried　through　the　paths；　and　in　and　out　of　the
  latticed　summer…house　with　shrieks　of　laughter　and　terror。　　It　all　ended
  with　a　feast　at　a　long　table　made　of　sawhorses　and　boards　covered　with　a
  white　cloth；　and　when　the　cake　was　cut　there　was　wild　excitement　as　to
  who　would　get　the　ring　and　who　the　thimble。
  We　were　more　decorous；　or　rather　more　awkward　now；　and　the　party　began
  with　a　formal　period　when　the　boys　gathered　in　a　group　and　pretended
  indifference　to　the　girls。　　The　girls　were　cleverer　at　it；　and　actually
  achieved　the　impression　that　they　were　indifferent。　　We　kept　an　eye　on
  them；　uneasily；　while　we　talked。　　To　be　in　Nancy's　presence　and　not　alone
  with　Nancy　was　agonizing；　and　I　wondered　at　a　sang…froid　beyond　my　power
  to　achieve；　accused　her　of　coldness；　my　sufferings　being　the　greater
  because　she　seemed　more　beautiful；　daintier；　more　irreproachable　than　I
  had　ever　seen　her。　　Even　at　that　early　age　she　gave　evidence　of　the
  social　gift；　and　it　was　due　to　her　efforts　that　we　forgot　our　best
  clothes　and　our　newly　born　self…consciousness。　　When　I　begged　her　to　slip
  away　with　me　among　the　currant　bushes　she　whispered：
  〃I　can't；　Hugh。　　I'm　the　hostess；　you　know。〃
  I　had　gone　there　in　a　flutter　of　anticipation；　but　nothing　went　right
  that　day。　　There　was　dancing　in　the　big　rooms　that　looked　out　on　the
  garden；　the　only　girl　with　whom　I　cared　to　dance　was　Nancy；　and　she　was
  busy　finding　partners　for　the　backward　members　of　both　sexes；　though　she
  was　my　partner；　to　be　sure；　when　it　all　wound　up　with　a　Virginia　reel　on
  the　lawn。　　Then；　at　supper；　to　cap　the　climax　of　untoward　incidents；　an
  animated　discussion　was　begun　as　to　the　relative　merits　of　the　various
  colleges；　the　girls；　too；　taking　sides。　　Mac　Willett；　Nancy's　cousin；　was
  going　to　Yale；　Gene　Hollister　to　Princeton；　the　Ewan　boys　to　our　State
  University；　while　Perry　Blackwood　and　Ralph　Hambleton　and　Ham　Durrett
  were　destined　for　Harvard；　Tom　Peters；　also；　though　he　was　not　to
  graduate　from　the　Academy　for　another　year。　　I　might　have　known　that
  Ralph　would　have　suspected　my　misery。　　He　sat　triumphantly　next　to　Nancy
  herself；　while　I　had　been　told　off　to　entertain　the　faithful　Sophy。
  Noticing　my　silence；　he　demanded　wickedly：
  〃Where　are　you　going；　Hugh？〃
  〃Harvard；　I　think；〃　I　answered　with　as　bold　a　front　as　I　could　muster。
  〃I　haven't　talked　it　over　with　my　father　yet。〃　　It　was　intolerable　to
  admit　that　I　of　them　all　was　to　be　left　behind。
  Nancy　looked　at　me　in　surprise。　　She　was　always　downright。
  〃Oh；　Hugh；　doesn't　your　father　mean　to　put　you　in　business？〃　she
  exclaimed。
  A　hot　flush　spread　over　my　face。　　Even　to　her　I　had　not　betrayed　my
  apprehensions　on　this　painful　subject。　　Perhaps　it　was　because　of　this
  very　reason；　knowing　me　as　she　did；　that　she　had　divined　my　fate。　　Could
  my　father　have　spoken　of　it　to　anyone？
  〃Not　that　I　know　of；〃　I　said　angrily。　　I　wondered　if　she　knew　how　deeply
  she　had　hurt　me。　　The　others　laughed。　　The　colour　rose　in　Nancy's　cheeks；
  and　she　gave　me　an　appealing；　almost　tearful　look；　but　my　heart　had
  hardened。　　As　soon　as　supper　was　over　I　left　the　table　to　wander；　nursing
  my　wrongs；　in　a　far　corner　of　the　garden；　gay　shouts　and　laughter　still
  echoing　in　my　ears。　　I　was　negligible；　even　my　pathetic　subterfuge　had
  been　detected　and　cruelly　ridiculed　by　these　friends　whom　I　had　always
  loved　and　sought　out；　and　who　now　were　so　absorbed　in　their　own　prospects
  and　happiness　that　they　cared　nothing　for　mine。　　And　Nancy！　　I　had　been
  betrayed　by　Nancy！。。。　　Twilight　was　coming　on。　　I　remember　glancing　down
  miserably　at　the　new　blue　suit　I　had　put　on　so　hopefully　for　the　first
  time　that　afternoon。
  Separating　the　garden　from　the　street　was　a　high；　smooth　board　fence　with
  a　little　gate　in　it；　and　I　had　my　hand　on　the　latch　when　I　heard　the
  sound　of　hurrying　steps　on　the　gravel　path　and　a　familiar　voice　calling
  my　name。
  〃Hugh！　Hugh！〃
  I　turned。　　Nancy　stood　before　me。
  〃Hugh；　you're　not　going！〃
  〃Yes；　I　am。〃
  〃Why？〃
  〃If　you　don't　know；　there's　no　use　telling　you。〃
  〃Just　because　I　said　your　father　intended　to　put　you　in　business！　　Oh；
  Hugh；　why　are　you　so　foolish　and　so　proud？　　Do　you　suppose　that　anyone
  that　Ithink　any　the　worse　of　you？〃
  Yes；　she　had　read　me；　she　alone　had　entered　into　the　source　of　that
  prevarication；　the　complex　feelings　from　which　it　sprang。　　But　at　that
  moment　I　could　not　forgive　her　for　humiliating　me。　　I　hugged　my
  grievance。
  〃It　was　true；　what　I　said；〃　I　declared　hotly。　　〃My　father　has　not　spoken。
  It　is　true　that　I'm　going　to　college；　because　I'll　make　it　true。　　I　may
  not　go　this　year。〃
  She　stood　staring　in　sheer　surprise　at　sight　of　my　sudden；　quivering
  passion。　　I　think　the　very　intensity　of　it　frightened　her。　　And　then；
  without　more　ado；　I　opened　the　gate　and　was　gone。。。。
  That　night；　though　I　did　not　realize　it；　my　journey　into　a　Far　Country
  was　begun。
  The　misery　that　followed　this　incident　had　one　compensating　factor。
  Although　too　late　to　electrify　Densmore　and　Principal　Haime　with　my
  scholarship；　I　was　determined　to　go　to　college　now；　somehow；　sometime。　　I
  would　show　my　father；　these　companions　of　mine；　and　above　all　Nancy
  herself　the　stuff　of　which　I　was　made；　compel　them　sooner　or　later　to
  admit　that　they　had　misjudged　me。　　I　had　been　possessed　by　similar
  resolutions　before；　though　none　so　strong；　and　they　had　a　way　of　sinking
  below　the　surface　of　my　consciousness；　only　to　rise　again　and　again　until
  by　sheer　pressure　they　achieved　realization。
  Yet　I　might　have　returned　to　Nancy　if　something　had　not　occurred　which　I
  would　have　thought　unbelievable：　she　began　to　show　a　marked　preference
  for　Ralph　Hambleton。　　At　first　I　re