t with Ruth beside him. They
occasionally spoke about the scenes presented to them and also about
school matters in general, but not one word was said by either about the
party Martha had mentioned.

"Mr. Falstein certainly gets good pictures," remarked the girl, when the
performance had come to an end and the crowd of young people was moving
out of the theater. "They're just as good as one can see in the big
cities."

"They're the same thing, only he gets them a little later," answered
Jack.

"I like the comic pictures better than anything," declared Andy. "I hate
those serious ones. They're generally so awfully mushy."

"Why, Andy Rover, how you talk!" cried Alice Strobell. "I think that
picture they showed today of Life in a Big City was perfectly grand."

"Especially where the heroine sobbed herself to sleep over the sewing
machine in her garret room," went on Andy, with a snicker. "Wasn't that
just the tear-bringer?"

"I don't care! It was just as true to life as it could be," answered
Alice sturdily.

"Well, maybe," was the airy return of the fun-loving Rover. "Come to
think of it, I never did run a sewing machine in a garret room with the
snow blowing through a busted window. I'd rather sit in the shade of the
old apple tree reading a good book and getting on the outside of some
ripe pears," he continued, and at this there was general laughter.

As was their custom, the young folks drifted from the theater to a nearby
candy and ice-cream establishment. Here they split up into various groups
at some tables in the rear. Of course, the boys insisted on treating the
girls, and there was quite a discussion over what each would have. Martha
and Mary had paired off with Gif and Spouter, and Fred and the twins were
with some of the other girls, and this left Ruth and Jack by themselves.

Several times the young captain wanted to bring the conversation around
to the question of the party that had been mentioned. But every time he
checked himself.

"What were you going to say?" questioned Ruth, when he caught himself
once. "You act as if you had something on your mind of special
importance, Jack."

"Not at all! Not at all!" he returned hastily. "How are you getting along
with your studies, Ruth? Do your eyes interfere much with them?"

"Not a great deal. But, of course, I have to be more or less careful. But
I'm doing finely, so the teachers say."

"We're going to have an election of officers soon," continu