look was shy and sweet as she said with eyes that dared and then
drooped timidly:

"You--are--very--good to me!"

Almost he forgot his vow of carefulness at that, but remembered when he
had got half across the room toward her, and answered earnestly:

"Dear, _you_ have been very good to _me_."

Marcia's eyes suddenly sobered and half the glow faded from her face. Was
it then only gratitude? She took off the bonnet and touched the bows with
wistful tenderness as she laid it by till after breakfast. He watched her
and misinterpreted the look. Was she then disappointed in the bonnet? Was
it not right after all? Had Hannah known better than he? He hesitated and
then asked her:

"Is there---- Is it---- That is--perhaps you would rather take it back and and
choose another. You know how to choose one better than I. There were
others I think. In fact, I forgot to look at any but this because I liked
it, but I'm only a man----" he finished helplessly.

"No! No! No!" said Marcia, her eyes sparkling emphatically again. "There
couldn't be a better one. This is just exactly what I like. I do not want
anything else. And I--like it all the better because you selected it," she
added daringly, suddenly lifting her face to his with a spice of her own
childish freedom.

His eyes admired her.

"She told me Hannah Heath thought it too plain," he added honestly.

"Then I'm sure I like it all the better for that," said Marcia so
emphatically that they both laughed.

It all at once became necessary to hurry, for the old clock in the hall
clanged out the hour and David became aware that haste was imperative.

Early as Marcia had come down, David had been up long before her, his
heart too light to sleep. In a dream, or perchance on the borders of the
morning, an idea had come to him. He told Marcia that he must go out now
to see about the horse, but he also made a hurried visit to the home of
his office clerk and another to the aunts, and when he returned with the
horse he had left things in such train that if he did not return that
evening he would not be greatly missed. But he said nothing to Marcia
about it. He laughed to himself as he thought of the sleepy look on his
clerk's face, and the offended dignity expressed in the ruffle of Aunt
Hortense's night cap all awry as she had peered over the balusters to
receive his unprecedentedly early visit. The aunts were early risers. They
prided themselves upon it. It hurt their dignity