You, I suppose you know all about it too? There he comes! They’re going to meet! I wonder how they’ll act. Isn’t it thrilling. My goodness! Don’t they carry it off well, he’s hardly stopping to speak. I don’t believe she likes it, I wouldn’t, would you? Isn’t that white crêpe with the scarlet trimmings just entrancing? But where on earth is Tommy! He didn’t bring him. Oh—why _Tommy_! Is that you? Where on earth have you been? Didn’t Mr. Maxwell find you? He’s been after you, there he is coming now! What made you keep me waiting so long? I’ve stood here an hour and simply cooked! What? You meant the _other_ gate? Well, what’s the difference? Why didn’t you say so? Oh, well, don’t fuss so, let’s go find our seats. What? Oh, yes, this is Miss—_Cope_ did you say? Copley? Oh yes! Miss Copley, Mr. Fergus. Thank you so much, Cousin Arthur. Good-bye.” She was gone, vanishing behind the neighboring grand stand, but so was the glory of the day. Cornelia’s face looked strangely white and tired as Maxwell helped her down, and she found her feet unsteady as she walked beside him silently to their seats. There was something queer the matter with her heart. It kept stopping suddenly and then turning over with a jerk. The sun seemed to have darkened about her and her feet seemed weighted. “That girl is a perfect pest,” he said frowning as he helped Cornelia to her seat. “I was just afraid she was going to wish herself on us for the afternoon. She has a habit of doing that and I didn’t mean to have it this time. I was prepared to hire a substitute for the lost Tommy if he didn’t materialize. Her mother is a second or third cousin of my grandmother’s aunt or something like that and she is always asking favors.” Cornelia tried to smile and murmur something pleasant, but her lips seemed stiff, and when she looked up she noticed that he was hurriedly scanning the benches on the other side of the rectangle. Following his glance her eyes caught a glimpse of white set off by vivid scarlet. Ah! Then it was true! Her sinking heart put her to sudden shame and revealed herself to herself. This then had been the secret of her great happiness and of the brightness of the day. She had been presuming on the kindness of this stranger and actually jumping to the conclusion that he was paying her special attention. What folly had been hers! How she had always despised girls who gave their hearts before they were asked, who took too much for granted from a few pleasant little attentions.