Nothing particular. Trix treats Tom shamefully, and he bears it like a
lamb. I tell him to break his engagement, and not be worried so; but he
won't, because she has been jilted once and he thinks it 's such a mean
thing to do."

"Perhaps she 'll jilt him."

"I 've no doubt she will, if anything better comes along. But Trix is
getting passe, and I should n't wonder if she kept him to his word, just
out of perversity, if nothing else."

"Poor Tom, what a fate!" said Polly with what was meant to be a comical
groan; but it sounded so tragical that she saw it would n't pass, and
hastened to hide the failure by saying, with a laugh, "If you call Trix
passe at twenty-three, what shall we all be at twenty-five?" "Utterly
done with, and laid upon the shelf. I feel so already, for I don't get
half the attention I used to have, and the other night I heard Maud and
Grace wondering why those old girls 'did n't stay at home, and give them
a chance.'"

"How is Maudie?"

"Pretty well, but she worries me by her queer tastes and notions. She
loves to go into the kitchen and mess, she hates to study, and said
right before the Vincents that she should think it would be great fun to
be a beggar-girl, to go round with a basket, it must be so interesting
to see what you 'd get."

"Minnie said the other day she wished she was a pigeon so she could
paddle in the puddles and not fuss about rubbers."

"By the way, when is her uncle coming back?" asked Fanny, who could n't
wait any longer and joyfully seized the opening Polly made for her.

"I 'm sure I don't know."

"Nor care, I suppose, you hard-hearted thing."

"Why, Fan, what do you mean?"

"I 'm not blind, my dear, neither is Tom, and when a young gentleman
cuts a call abruptly short, and races after a young lady, and is seen
holding her hand at the quietest corner of the park, and then goes
travelling all of a sudden, we know what it means if you don't."

"Who got up that nice idea, I should like to know?" demanded Polly, as
Fanny stopped for breath.

"Now don't be affected, Polly, but just tell me, like a dear, has n't he
proposed?"

"No, he has n't."

"Don't you think he means to?"

"I don't think he 'll ever say a word to me."

"Well, I am surprised!" And Fanny drew a long breath, as if a load was
off her mind. Then she added in a changed tone: "But don't you love him,
Polly?"

"No."

"Truly?"

"Truly, Fan."

Neither spoke for a minute, but the heart of one