On her part, Tavia would have returned to Dalton before the new year had Dorothy allowed her to have her own way. Dorothy would not hear of such a thing. To make the situation worse for the pair of young people so tragically enduring their first vital misunderstanding, Ned and Jennie Hapgood were sailing upon a sea of blissful and unruffled happiness. Nat and Tavia could not help noting this fact. The feeling of the exalted couple for each other was so evident that even the Dale boys discussed it—and naturally with deep disgust. “Gee!” breathed Joe, scandalized. “Old Ned is so mushy over Jennie Hapgood that he goes around in a trance. He could tread on his own corns and not know it, his head is so far up in the clouds. Gee!” “_I_ wouldn’t ever get so silly over a girl—not even our Dorothy,” Roger declared. “Would you, Joe?” “Not in a hundred years,” was his brother’s earnest response. The major admitted with a chuckle that Ned certainly was hard hit. The time set for Jennie Hapgood to return to Sunnyside Farm came and passed, and still many reasons were found for the prolongation of her visit. Ned went off to New York one day by himself and brought home at night something that made a prominent bulge in his lower right-hand vest pocket. “Oh, _oh_, OH! Dorothy!” ejaculated Tavia, for the moment coming out of her own doldrums. “Do you know what it is? A Tiffany box! Nothing less!” “Dear old Ned,” said her chum, with a smile. Ned and Jennie disappeared together right after dinner. Then, an hour later, they appeared in the drawing-room where the family was assembled and Ned led Jennie forward by her left hand—the fingers prominently extended. “White gold—platinum!” murmured Tavia, standing enthralled as she beheld the beautifully set stone. “Set old Ned back five hundred bucks if it did a cent,” growled Nat, under his breath and keeping in the background. “Oh, Jennie!” cried Dorothy, jumping up. But Aunt Winnie seemed to be nearest. She reached the happy couple before anybody else. “Ned needn’t tell me,” she said, with a little laugh and a little sob and putting both arms about Jennie. “Welcome, my daughter! Very welcome to the White family. I have for years tried to divide Dorothy with the major; now I am to have at least _one_ daughter of my very own.” Did she flash a glance at Tavia standing in the background? Tavia thought so. The proud and headstrong girl was shot to the quick with the arrow of the thought that Mrs. White had been told by Nat of the difference between himself and Tavia and that the lady would never come to Tavia and ask that question on behalf of her younger son that the girl so desired her to ask. Never before had Tavia realized so keenly the great chasm between herself and Jennie Hapgood. Mrs. White welcomed Jennie so warmly, and was so glad, because Jennie was of the same level in society as the Whites. Both in blood and wealth Jennie was Ned’s equal.