Millicent was beside him; their afternoon together had been unusually enjoyable. He had every reason to believe that she preferred his society to that of any other man she knew. He had taken a route into town that was longer than the one usually followed, and in passing through a small village an exclamation from Millicent caused him to stop the car. “Wasn’t that Leila and Fred at the gas station?” she asked. “Let’s go back and see.” Leila saluted them with a wave of the hand. Thomas was speaking to the keeper of the station. “Hello, children!” Leila greeted them. “Pause and be sociable. What have you been up to?” “Shooting a little golf,” Millicent answered. “Why didn’t you drop the word that you were going to the club for dinner? You might have had a little company!” Bruce strolled over to Thomas, who was still conferring with the station keeper. He heard the man answer some question as to the best route to a neighboring town. Thomas seemed a trifle nervous and glanced impatiently toward Leila and Millicent. “Hello, Bruce,” he said cheerfully, “how’s everything?” “Skimming!” said Bruce, and they walked back to the car, where Thomas greeted Millicent exuberantly. Leila leaned out and whispered to Bruce: “We’ll be married in an hour. Don’t tell Millie till you get home!” “Are you kidding?” Bruce demanded. “Certainly not!” “But why do it this way?” “Oh--it’s simpler and a lot more romantic--that’s all! Tell Millie that everything is all right! Don’t look so scared! All right, Freddy, let’s go!” Their car was quickly under way and Millicent and Bruce resumed their homeward drive. “Leila didn’t tell me she was going to the club with Freddy,” remarked Millicent pensively. “One of those spontaneous things,” Bruce replied carelessly. When they reached the Hardens’ he walked with her to the door. “That was odd--meeting Leila and Fred,” said Millicent. “Do you think they were really going to the club for supper?” “They were not going there,” Bruce replied. “They’re on their way to be married.” “Oh, I’m sorry!” she said and her eyes filled with tears. The privilege of seeing tears in Millicent’s eyes was to Bruce an experience much more important than Leila’s marriage. “It will be a blow to Mr. Mills,” said Bruce thoughtfully. “Let’s hope he accepts it gracefully.” Both turned by a common impulse and their eyes rested upon the Mills house beyond the hedge....