I was, and with her for making me forget. "Isn't
it clean?"

"Why, yes," she answered, "surprisingly so. Did they teach Domestic
Science at your college, too?"

I started. "MY college!" I repeated. "How did you know I had been at
college? Did Mother tell you?"

She laughed gleefully.

"Did Mother tell you?" I demanded. "If she did--"

"Well, what if she did? However, she did not. But you have told me now.
Harvard, was it? or Yale?"

I tossed the knife and fork into the basket and turned away.

"Princeton, perhaps," suggested Miss Colton.

I walked over and began to unjoint my rod. I was a fool to be trapped
like this. No one in Denboro except Mother and George Taylor knew of my
brief college career, and now I had, practically, told this girl of it.
She might--if she were sufficiently interested to remember, which
was fortunately not probable--tell her father and he might ask other
questions concerning my history. Where would those questions lead?

I was angrily tugging at the rod when I heard her step behind me. I did
not turn.

"I beg your pardon," she said.

I pretended not to hear.

"I beg your pardon, Mr. Paine," she said again.

"It's all right," I muttered. "No apologies are necessary."

I said it like a sullen schoolboy. There was another moment of silence.
Then I heard her move away. I looked over my shoulder. She was walking
toward the meadow where Don, the horse, was picketed. There was offended
dignity in every line of her figure.

For a moment I fought with my pride and injured self-respect. Then I
hurried after her.

"Miss Colton," I said.

"Well?" she neither turned nor stopped.

"Miss Colton, I should not have answered like that. I was rude."

She stopped. "You were," she said.

"I know it. I am sorry. I apologize."

"No apologies are necessary."

Here was tit for tat. I did not know what more to say, so I said
nothing.

"Do I understand that you ask my pardon?" she inquired, still without
turning.

"I do. If you will permit me, I will explain. I--"

She whirled about and faced me. To my astonishment she was smiling once
more.

"Of course you won't explain," she declared. "I had no right to ask
you about your college. But I couldn't help guessing. I told you that
I liked puzzles. We'll say no more about it. I have enjoyed this picnic
and I won't have it spoiled. Now why are you taking your rod apart?"

"Because I know you want to go home and I am going with you to show