"I have never never given my picture to any man," she said firmly, and the absence of sibilants made it doubly impressive. "And I never never will. Bethideth, you know I would have to tell my mother." They were sitting in the summer house at that romantic hour when the first day stars arrive with the mosquitoes. It was always at such moments that the craving was strongest. She had begun by holding his wrist in a strong encircling clasp but the sight of his twitching contorted fingers had been too much for her sensibilities and her hand had slipped into a more intimate clasp. "After all he's only a boy," she had said to herself. "Jennie! how can you--don't you--do you realize all I'm doing--just for you?" said Skippy, whose voice at such moments was not under control. "No, no, you ought to do it for yourself, becauth it ith the right thing to do, becauth it will make you feel stwonger and finer." "Nope, it's you or nothing." "Jack, you muthn't thay thuch thingth. I muthn't let you!" "It is the first time I've ever cared what became of me," said Skippy lugubriously. "You don't know what that pin means to me." "But--" "Do you realize what I'm going back to? Old associations, old habits and a long, long, fight! And then there's Snorky. I've got to save him too." "But Jack--" "I'm not asking for anything more than just your picture, nothing more,--nothing that commits you to anything! But I do want that, I must have that! I want to rise up every morning and remember and, and I want to come back every night and know that I can face your eyes," said Skippy warming up. "I say it must be a full face, not a profile, you know." "I haven't thaid I would," said Miss Jennie in dreadful perplexity. "But you will." There was a long silence. "You will, won't you!" "I--I will think it over," said Miss Tupper finally, remembering the terrific report which her sister had brought her via Snorky Green. "I will give you my dethition after thupper."