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begged to call for her, but she insisted, so he promised to do as she wished. Jack was at his station by half past one—but no Dorothy. He waited until three, then fearing she might be ill, took a car for her boarding house. When he arrived there the landlady told him that Miss Holmes had gone to the Fair about one o'clock with two young men. Jack left a curt little note and went home disgusted. But when Ned laughed at him that night and suggested that she probably thought she would have a better time with the other fellows, Jack declared stoutly that she had no doubt misunderstood.
The next time Jack met Dorothy she was alone, and showed plainly how delighted she was to see him. They spent the afternoon together in the Art Galleries, and he never liked her better, for she listened, interested in everything he had to say about the pictures. Before he had been with her anytime he began in some strange manner to feel that he was to blame in the whole affair of the matinee, that he really had no reason to expect her. When he left her he had received permission to call on her the next evening.
Accordingly, when the next evening came, Jack began after dinner to dress preparatory to going out. Ned sat with his feet on the table, peering occasionally at him over his paper.
"Where are you going Jack," he said finally.
"Out to make a call on Dorothy Holmes," said Jack with his eyes riveted on his image in the glass, while he struggled with his tie.
Ned emitted a low chuckle, as he said with a laugh in his eyes but with a sober face, "Dorothy Holmes is all right, but don't let her take you in, Jack."
"Take me in," said Jack turning suddenly to Ned. "Why do you always insinuate that about Dorothy? I am sure she is above that. But don't you worry, I never saw a girl yet who could work me."
About an hour and a half later, after a long ride across the city, Jack was at the door of Dorothy's boarding house with a dainty box of
Huyler's under his arm.
As he stood waiting for the answer to his ring,he felt to see if his tie was straight, brushed his shoes with his handkerchief then straightened himself as the door opened. A slender little maid stood in the frame of light. Jack, well groomed, hat in hand, inquired for Miss Holmes as he gave her his card.
"She has gone to the theatre, I think," said the maid, "at least she went away about an hour ago."
"Gone to the theatre," repeated Jack as if unable to believe his own ears.
He stood staring at her until the maid fearing something was the matter with him banged the door in his face. He turned in a dazed way and stumbled down the steps, hardly realizing where he was until he reached the corner. Just as he stepped on the car, he suddenly looked down and saw the box of candy in his hand. Then muttering an expressive something under his breath, with great intensity, he gave the unfortunate package a vigorous throw at a neighboring lamp post, the contents rolled out dejectedly on the pavement and the car rushed on.
A well written little note from Dorothy next day assured him how sorry she was not to have been at home the night before, but she did not expect him that evening, she must have misunderstood him. She blamed herself for her stupidity and craved his forgiveness.
Thereupon Jack at once felt himself horribly in the wrong and began casting about in his mind for some way to repay her for his in- last night.
Then the hop to which he had been invited for Friday night occurred to him—he would ask Dorothy to go with him-not that he cared particularly about having her himself, but it would be such a good opportunity to bring her and Ned together.
The next morning he met her by chance at the Fair; she was all smiles and looked extraordinarily pretty. She accepted with pleasure his invitation to the hop and he left her very