you, and of course Jim's the one to decide. People say Lark is more
sensible than you are, but it takes a good bit of a man to get beyond a
face as pretty as yours. I'm kind o' proud of Jim!"

CHAPTER XVII

THE GIRL WHO WOULDN'T PROPOSE

It took a long time for Carol to recover from the effect of Lark's
disloyalty, as she persisted in calling it. For several weeks she didn't
twinkle at all. But when at last the smiles came easy again, she wrote
to Mr. Duke, her p'fessor no longer, but now a full-fledged young
minister. She apologized sweetly for her long delay.

"But you will forgive me when you have read this,"
she wrote. "Cupid is working havoc in our family.
Of course, no one outside the home circle knows
yet, but I insisted on telling you because you
have been such a grand good friend to us for so
long. We may seem young to you, because you can't
forget when we were freshmen, but we are really
very grown up. We act quite mature now, and never
think of playing jokes. But I didn't finish my
news, did I?

"It is Jim Forrest--he was in high school when we
were. Remember him? Larkie and I were out to spend
a week, and--but I needn't go into particulars. I
knew you would be interested. The whole family is
very happy about it, he is a great favorite with
every one. But how our family is going to pieces!
Still, since it is Jim--! He _is_ nice, isn't he?
But you wouldn't dare say no."

Carol's eyes glittered wickedly as she sealed this letter, which she had
penned with greatest care. And a few days later, when the answer came,
she danced gleefully up the stairs,--not at all "mature" in manner, and
locked the door behind her while she read:

"Dear Carol:

"Indeed I am very interested, and I wish you all
the joy in the world. Tell Jim for me how very
much I think he is to be congratulated. He seems a
fine fellow, and I know you will be happy. It was
a surprise, I admit--I knew he was doing the very
devoted--but you have seemed so young to me,
always. I can't imagine you too grown up for
jokes, though you do sound more 'mature' in this
letter than you have before. Lark will be lonely,
I am afraid.

"I am very