moment with his
embarrassment, but he was in for it now, and he was not going to back
out.

"I'm too clumsy for girls," said he; "they always notice that."

"You seem to know all about them," said the girl; "suppose I should tell
you that _I_ never noticed any such thing.--A girl usually notices if a
fellow is strong, though," she added.

"It was being a scout that made me strong."

"There are different ways of being strong," observed Miss Ellison,
busying herself the while.

"I know what you mean," said Tom. "I got a good muscle."

She leaned back in her chair and looked at him frankly. "I didn't mean
exactly that," she said. "I meant if you make up your mind to do a
thing, you'll do it."

Again Tom waited, not knowing what to say. He felt strangely happy, yet
very uncomfortable. At length, for lack of anything better to say, he
observed:

"I guess you kinder like Roscoe, all right."

For answer she bent over her typewriter and began to make an erasure.

"Don't you?" he persisted, gaining courage.

"Do I have to tell _you_?" she asked, laughing merrily.

Tom lingered for a few moments. He wanted to stay longer. This little
familiar chat was a bigger innovation in his life than the long trousers
had been. His heart was pounding just as it had pounded when he first
took the scout oath. Evidently the girl meant to leave early herself,
and see something of the day's festivities, for she was very prettily
attired. Perhaps this, perhaps the balmy fragrance of that wonderful
spring day which Providence had ordered for the registration of Uncle
Sam's young manhood, perhaps the feeling that some good news awaited him
down in Mr. Temple's office, or perhaps all three things contributed to
give Tom a feeling of buoyancy.

"Are you going to see the parade?" he asked. "I got a badge here maybe
you'd like to wear. I can get another for myself."

"I would like very much to wear it," she said, taking the little
patriotic emblem which he removed from his khaki coat. "Thank you."

Tom almost hoped she would suggest that he pin it on for her. He stood
for a few moments longer and then, as he could think of nothing more to
say, moved rather awkwardly toward the door.

"You look splendid to-day, Tom," Miss Ellison said. "You look like a
real soldier in your khaki."

"The woman where I board pressed it for me yesterday," he said,
blushing.

"It looks very nice."

Tom went down in the elevator, and when it stopped ra