short," he said, as they reached the cottage where
Dorothy lived, and where Jessie Staples was awaiting her on the porch.
"Let us go around a few blocks; I want to talk to you about the
arrangements for the outing."

Nothing loath, Dorothy consented, and away they whirled down the street;
and it was very fortunate too, for in less than three minutes later Jack
had appeared at the cottage.

"I have been wondering if you really cared to go to the matinee on Labor
Day," said Langdon, in his low, sweet, smooth voice, which had never yet
failed to capture the hearts of susceptible young girls. "I was
wondering if you would not prefer a sail up the river. I understand that
there is to be quite an excursion to West Point."

The truth is Langdon had just discovered that several of his
acquaintances were to be at the matinee on that day, and he regretted
that he had invited Dorothy to go, realizing how terribly ashamed he
would be of the shabby clothes of the girl whose only recommendation was
her pretty young face, and he had determined that he should not take
Dorothy to that matinee, at any cost.

"Why, I would just as soon go to the excursion as to the matinee,"
declared Dorothy; "but there's one objection--all the rest of the girls
in the book-bindery are going up on the boat to West Point, and among
them Nadine Holt."

Langdon smothered back a fierce imprecation behind his silky curled
mustache.

"Then we will abandon the West Point trip." he said, laughingly. "But we
can go to Staten Island, besides, I think it will be quite as enjoyable,
for, now that I think of it, there will be an immense crowd there. The
picnic grounds are to be thrown open to the public, and they are to have
a grand garden _fete_, with dancing and so forth."

"Oh, I should enjoy that more than I could tell you!" cried Dorothy,
clapping her hands, her blue eyes expanding wide with expectancy. "I
adore dancing, and I was never at a garden-party in all my life, and I
have read so much about them."

"We can remain all the afternoon and evening, have refreshments, and
then come home on the steamer. It will be a beautiful moonlight night,
and when the band plays on the deck you will enjoy it hugely, Dorothy."

The girl's eyes sparkled and her cheeks glowed.

Soon afterward the cab stopped before Dorothy's cottage again, and, with
a shy, sweet smile, she bade her admirer "good-night," and flitted up
the steps and into the hall, and directly into