tunately, one can find those sort of things without searching
for them; they are thrown in with the pollywogs for good measure; but my
nose is not half so ornamental as Lancy's. Don't be cross, Gussie. Let us
go into the parlor and wait for the trunks. I have a lot of nice new
patterns in fancywork for you."

They entered the parlor together, where Aunt Jennie followed them, and they
talked about the many events that had transpired during Dexie's absence.
The room was almost dark. It seemed pleasanter to talk in the twilight, but
a bar of light shone from the sitting-room door, and relieved it from any
sombre appearance. Dexie kept wondering why the expressman did not appear;
she was anxious to see if the little treasures she had collected for
distribution had borne the journey safely. She rose at last and went to
the window to see if there was anyone in sight, but she was disappointed.
Not so Hugh, who was just entering the house, and caught sight of her
outline against the window-pane, and, thinking the unlighted parlor vacant
but for Dexie's presence, he softly opened the door and stepped to her
side. All her cold repulses were forgotten, her curt words of dismissal
faded from his memory, his heart was yearning for her presence, she was
there before him, and in a moment he had her in his arms.

"My darling! my love! do I see you at last. How I have longed for this
moment!"

It was so sudden that for a moment Dexie was powerless to move, but she
freed herself quickly, saying, as she stepped back:

"How dare you! How _dare_ you touch me! It is I; not Gussie," she added,
thinking he might have mistaken the person, though his words belied the
thought. "I was watching for the expressman, and did not notice you had
come in; you made a mistake," came the quick-spoken words.

"Well, I should say it was a mistake, and an odd one too," said Gussie,
coming forward. "How could you mistake that mop of a head for mine, Hugh?"

She had seen the embrace, but the whispered words had not reached her.
Naturally, Hugh was much taken back when he realized that Dexie was not
alone, but he anathematized Gussie in his heart, and bit his lips to keep
back the words that sprang up in reply. If Gussie had known how precious
that "mop of a head" was to her quondam lover, she would not have been so
ready to "give herself away," as the trite saying has it.

CHAPTER XXVI.

The embarrassing silence that followed Hugh's entrance was b