hen Mollie, so
demure, handing round the innocent-looking little buns; and, hey
presto! the pinching begins, and the explosions, and the hopeless
attempts to gather up the fragments!"

The Boy nearly went off again; but he suddenly realized that the Aunt
was not amused, and pulled himself together.

"Well, we stopped on the way to the kitchen for mutual confidences. It
was not easy, bounded as we were by you on the one side, and Martha on
the other. We had to whisper. I dare say you thought we were kissing
behind the door, but we jolly well weren't! She told me about Phil;
and I told her--oh, I told her _something_ of what I am trying to tell
you. Just enough to make her understand; so that we could go ahead,
and play the game fair, all round. She was awfully glad, because she
said: 'I have long feared my dear beautiful Aunt would marry an
ichthyosaurus.' I asked her what the--what the--I mean, what on earth
the meaning of that was? And she said: 'An old fossil.'"

Again the swift flush swept over the calm face. But this time the Aunt
went off, intentionally, on a side issue.

"I have heard you say 'What the deuce' before now, Boy. But I am glad
you appear to realize, judging by your laboured efforts to suppress
them, that these expressions shock me."

She looked at him, quizzically, through half-closed lids; but the Boy
was wholly earnest.

"Well, you see," he said, "I am trying most awfully hard to be, in
every respect, just what you would wish the man who loves you should
be."

"Oh, you dear boy," said Christobel Charteris, a flood of sudden
feeling softening her face; "I must make you understand that I cannot
possibly take you seriously. I shall have to tell you a story no one
has ever heard before; a tender little story of a long-ago past. I
must tell you the story of my Little Boy Blue. Wait here a few
moments, while I go indoors and give orders that we are not to be
disturbed."

Rising, she passed up the lawn to the little white house. The Boy's
eyes followed her, noting with pride and delight the tall athletic
figure, fully developed, gracious in its ample lines, yet graceful in
the perfect swing of the well-poised walk. During all his college
years he had known that walk; admired that stately figure. He had been
in the set which called her "Juno" and "The Goddess"; which crowded to
the clubs if there was a chance of watching her play tennis. And now,
during two wonderful weeks, he ha