"But he is so dear and nice, and though he has not proposed--still I
know he is infatuated with me--and when he finishes school--he is a
senior now, you know, and then he can marry if he likes."
Doris looked up, a sudden shining through the clouds. "He--what?"
"He graduates this year. He is a senior. But we are not engaged, not by
any means. Only sometimes I think maybe I am not too young to fall in
love. Bob Alden, you know."
Doris leaned weakly back in her chair.
"Are you joking?" she whispered with dry lips.
"Oh, Doris, I wouldn't do such a thing."
"Am I just imagining things or--"
"Yes, I think you are."
"Oh, Rosalie, you bad little girl, what have you done? I really
believe Mr. MacCammon likes you."
"Likes me! Ye gods, aren't some folks blind? I can always tell when men
are stuck on me long before they can tell it themselves, but some folks
are so slow. You are a stupid girl, Doris, I have no patience with you.
Poor dear Mr. MacCammon and the bishop, too--both of them--I think it
is downright reprehensible, to dangle a bishop and a psychological
philosopher at the same time. I wouldn't do such a thing."
Doris glimmered softly, the old Doris struggling weakly but jubilantly
back to her own again.
"Oh, Rosalie, don't talk about the bishop," she said.
MacCammon was waiting for them at the car, with several magazines and
boxes of candy on hand to help give the car a professionally touring
appearance. And after the chill fog of the last week, Doris came to
him, gleaming and glowing.
"I am all rested now," she said, smiling tremulously. "Please, Mr.
Wizard, may I ride in front?"
He looked at her in astonishment more utterly blank than ever. Then he
looked helplessly at Rosalie, humming brightly to herself as she picked
out the largest box of candy to take with her into the back seat.
"Can you beat that? They are, and then they aren't. And when you just
about get your mind made up that they aren't, and no use to talk about
it, all of a sudden they are. And nobody ever knows why, or how it
happened."
"What are you talking about?" asked Doris curiously.
"Psychology, dear Doris. Please get in quickly--yes, here in front--oh,
this seat slopes toward the middle, does it? Fine! Well, as I was
saying, do you think I'd better tie you in before you decide you
aren't? And as for psychology, there is no such thing--not in a world
that has women."
It did seem rather heartless to be so ecstatically happy when
poor dear father was having such trouble, but then, Doris thought
philosophically, that is what religion is for--to make us happy even
in spite of our grief.
The rest of the ride was wonderful, through such gloriously beautiful
country, and as for the dust--it was nothing, and the car ran like
velvet, and almost before they knew it they were settled in their
little borrowed apartment, laughing at the tininess of it, and getting
ready for MacCammon, who had gone to break his presence to his friend.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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