“Oh, Mr. Wen’ver!” she cried, turn
ing around and pausing distressfully
between the two attractions. “ Wouldn’t
you like Miss Broon to go with us?
She told me the other day she knowed
you, and there’s lots for her to eat.”
Jack moved a step or two toward
Millicent. Some of the crowd had by
this time turned away, but enough re
mained to make it an embarrassing
situation for both, especially as every
one was obviously very much enter
tained and was waiting expectedly for
the issue.
“Gracious!” exclaimed her friend in
surprise, “do you know him?”
But Jack was already speaking.
“I hope, Miss Brunen, you will excuse
Katie’s impetuosity,” he said.
Millicent looked up bravely into his
face. Her resolution was suddenly
but resolutely taken. Perhaps it had
been taken before and only needed
some opportunity like this to give it
expression.
“Do you endorse her invitation? ’ she
asked.
“Of course I endorse it, Miss Brunen,”
he said at length, and then he added
in a lower tone, “with all my heart.”
They were only four little words, but
they brought anew light into Milliccnt’s
eyes and a fresh joy in her heart. Per
haps she bad been vexing herself over
her fathers old suggestion as to the
reason of Jack’s absence. But if she
had, Jack’s tone and look even more
than his words told her there was no
need. With a happy, half-embarrass
ed laugh she turned to her friend, who
was standing the picture of ill-conceal
ed amazement and said:
“I guess I’ll have to leave you. It’s
pretty hard work for Mr. Wendover to
take care of all these children alone.
