Lita was knitting a golf sweater for her father. She could do it at school, but not at home, for her mother was so discouraging about it. She had already objected to its color, shape and pattern; had felt sure that Lita's father wouldn't appreciate the sentiment, and wouldn't wear anything that did not come from a good shop. Probably after all Lita's trouble he'd give it to his manservant. But Lita did not think he would. The nice thing about knitting is that it leaves the eyes disengaged--at least to an expert, and Lita was expert. She resolved that she would not look at Dacer; and did not for the first half hour or so, for she had a comfortable knowledge that he was looking at her. Then, just once, their eyes met. It was while Miss Fraser was reading these lines: _But nature never fram'd a woman's heart_ _Of prouder stuff than that of Beatrice:_ _Disdain and scorn ride sparkling in her eyes,_ _Misprising what they look on; and her wit_ _Values itself so highly, that to her_ _All matter else seems weak._ _She cannot love----_ Holding her glance, he seemed to nod his head as if to say that was a perfect description of her. Could he mean that? Did he mean that? She averted her eyes hastily, and when she looked back again he had folded his arms and was staring off over everybody's head, very blank and magnificent, unaware of the existence of little schoolgirls. Had she offended him? She decided that the next morning at the infirmary, while she was eating his toast and jam, she would ask him a pointed question about the character of Beatrice. She gave a good deal of time to framing the question--wasted time, for when she reached the infirmary she found he had gone--had taken a late train to New York the night before. Lita remembered he had looked at his watch once or twice toward the end of the reading. "Yes," said the nurse cheerfully, "we're doing so well we don't need him." It was the second nurse. Miss Waverley had gone with the doctor. Lita's frightened eyes sought Aurelia's, who framed the words: "Back Thursday."