"I don't care for your pride, if you all admire the cute child." Jo withdrew her hand from his. "Here comes Thaine now. I think you'd better take Leigh home. Thaine will take me, I'm sure. But I'll go to refreshments with you," she added, for she knew how to play on more than one string. "Why, Josephine, my queen, my queen, where are you hiding? I've danced an extra, waiting for you. Todd Stewart, I'll have to kill you yet tonight. What do you mean by breaking up my party?" Thaine caught Jo's arm and with a mock thrust at Todd he whirled her into the house. "Did you really miss me?" Jo's big dark eyes were fastened on Thaine's face. "More than tongue can tell. Who wouldn't miss you?" Thaine's eyes were shining mischievously. "Leigh Shirley wouldn't," Jo said softly and half sadly. Something impenetrable dropped before Thaine's face. "Let's go out to the honeysuckle arbor and not dance now. I'm so tired," Jo murmured, with a sweet pleading in her voice. "I fixed it just for you," Thaine declared as he led the way to the moonlit lawn and shadowy seat. "You are so good to me, Thaine. What makes you do so many things just for me? I know you don't really care for me. You are so different from most farmers' sons." Jo's head drooped a little and she put one hand on his arm. "I can't help being good to folks. It's just the angel in me," Thaine declared. Then he added seriously, "I wish I could do something for you, Jo. All the boys are wild about you tonight. You are a picture." She was beautiful at the moment, and as she lifted her eyes to his something in their shining depths spoke witchingly to the youth of nineteen, untrained in ways of feminine coquetry. He was only a country boy, unskilled in social tactics, but a combination of timidity and good breeding shaped his ideals and his action. "I don't care for all the boys," Jo murmured. "Then we are hopelessly bankrupt," Thaine declared. "Isn't this a wonderful night?" "Yes, and father and mother are going home so early," Jo said. "Well, your whole wardrobe is over here; why not stay all night? You can help Rosie and mother and me tomorrow. There are plenty of Benningtons left at your home without you, and mother will want you," Thaine urged. "Do you want me to?" Jo asked softly. "Tremendously. We'll eat all the ice cream that's left when the crowd goes and have the empty mansion all to ourselves," Thaine declared. "We are to dance the last dance together too," Jo reminded him. "Let's run in now. The crowd doesn't miss me, but I'm host, you know, and they're gasping for you. They'll be scouring the premises if we wait longer." As Thaine lifted Jo to her feet there was a glitter of tears in her bright eyes. And because the place was shadowy and sweet with honeysuckle perfume, and the moonlight entrancing, and Jo was very willing, and tears are ever appealing, he put his arm around her and drew her close to him, and kissed her on each cheek.