oubtfully.

"Why, of course," returned Fanny, the color rising swiftly to her
face.

She had caught a glimpse of Wesley Elliot edging his way past a group
of the younger boys and girls, mad with the revelry of unlimited cake
and ice cream. He was coming directly toward their corner; his eyes,
alas! fixed upon the stranger in their midst. Unconsciously Fanny
sighed deeply; the corners of her smiling lips drooped. She appeared
all at once like a lovely rose which some one has worn for an hour
and cast aside.

"It's such a little thing to do," murmured Lydia.

Then, before Fanny was aware of her intention, she had slipped away.
At the same moment Judge Fulsom made his appearance, elbowing his
smiling way through the crowd, a brimming saucer of vari-colored ice
cream in each hand.

"Here we are!" he announced cheerfully. "Had to get a _habeas corpus_
on this ice cream, though. Why, what's become of Miss Orr? Gone with
a handsomer man--eh?"

He stared humorously at the minister.

"Twa'n't you, dominie; seen' you're here. Had any ice cream yet? No
harm done, if you have. Seems to be a plenty. Take this, parson, and
I'll replevin another plate for myself and one for Miss Orr. Won't be
gone more'n another hour."

Fanny, piteously tongue-tied in the presence of the man she loved,
glanced up at Wesley Elliot with a timidity she had never before felt
in his company. His eyes under close-drawn brows were searching the
crowd. Fanny divined that she was not in his thoughts.

"If you are looking for Miss Orr," she said distinctly, "I think she
has gone out in the kitchen. I saw Mrs. Solomon Black beckon to her."

The minister glanced down at her; his rash impulse of an hour back
was already forgotten.

"Don't you think it's awfully warm in here?" continued Fanny.

A sudden desperate desire had assailed her; she must--she would
compel him to some sort of an explanation.

"It's a warm evening," commented the minister. "But why not eat your
cream? You'll find it will cool you off."

"I--I don't care much for ice cream," said Fanny, in a low tremulous
voice.

She gazed at him, her dark eyes brimming with eager questions.

"I was wondering if we couldn't--it's pleasant out in the yard--"

"If you'll excuse me for just a moment, Miss Dodge," Wesley Elliot's
tone was blandly courteous--"I'll try and find you a chair. They
appear to be scarce articles; I believe the ladies removed most of
them to the rear of the house.