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　　Well；　you　ought　to　see　her　some　day　and　think　of　me。〃

Hazel　turned　a　disgusted　shoulder　on　Sam's　impudent　face　and　engaged　Larry　in　vivacious　conversation。

〃Well；　I　am　off　to　the　ball　practice；〃　said　Tom。　　〃Got　a　match　on　SaturdayHigh　School　against　the　world。　　Guess　they　would　like　to　have　you；　Sam；　only　I　wouldn't　care　to　have　you　play　against　us。　You　don't　play　baseball；　eh？〃　continued　Tom；　addressing　Larry。　〃What　do　you　playfootball？〃

〃Not　much；　never　tried　much；〃　said　Larry；　flushing　over　his　lack　of　sporting　qualifications。

〃He　plays　the　fiddle；〃　said　a　quiet　little　voice。

Larry；　flushing　violently；　turned　around　and　saw　a　little；　brown…　faced　maid　gazing　thoughtfully　at　him。

〃Oh；　he　does；　eh？　　Ha；　ha；　ha。　　Good　game；　eh？　　Ha；　ha；　ha。〃　　They　all　joined　in　the　laugh。

〃And　he　plays　the　mouth　organ；　too；　and　does　funny　stunts；〃　sturdily　continued　the　little　girl；　disdaining　Tom's　scornful　laughter。

〃Good　for　you；　Jane。〃

〃Yes；　and　he　passed　his　entrance　to　the　High　School　a　year　ago　when　he　was　fourteen；　in　Ontario；　anyway。〃　　This　appeared　to　check　Tom's　hilarity。

〃My；　what　a　wonder　he　is！　　And　did　he　tell　you　all　this　himself？〃

〃No；　indeed；〃　said　Jane　indignantly。

〃Oh；　I　am　glad　to　hear　that；〃　said　Tom　with　a　grin。　　〃Won't　you　come　along；　Sam？　　It's　only　a　little　way　down。〃

〃All　right；〃　said　Sam　cheerfully。　　〃So　long；　folks。　　See　you　later；　Larry。　　Au　reservoir；　young　lady；　as　the　camel　said　to　the　elephant　when　he　asked　what　he'd　have。　　Hope　I　see　you　later　if　not　sooner　ta…ta；　tinga…ling；　honk　honk。〃　　Again　he　swept　Miss　Hazel　an　elaborate　bow。

〃Thinks　he's　smart；〃　said　that　young　lady；　lifting　her　nose。　　〃He's　a　regular　scarecrow。　　Who　in　the　world　is　he　and　where　did　he　come　from？〃　she　demanded　of　Larry；　who　proceeded　to　account　for　Sam's　presence　with　their　party。

The　visitors　peered　into　the　car　and　poked　into　its　recesses；　discovered　the　food　supplies　for　boy　and　beast；　and　inspected　the　dormitories　under　Larry's　guidance；　while　the　boy；　who　had　recovered　from　his　embarrassment；　discoursed　upon　the　wonderful　experience　of　the　journey。　　Miss　Hazel　flashed　her　great　blue　eyes　and　her　white　teeth　upon　him；　shook　all　her　frizzes　in　his　face；　smiled　at　him；　chattered　to　him；　jeered　at　him；　flattered　him　with　all　the　arts　and　graces　of　the　practiced　flirt　she　was；　until　Larry；　swept　from　his　bearings；　walked　the　clouds　in　a　wonder　world　of　rosy　lights　and　ravishing　airs。　　His　face；　his　eyes；　his　eager　words；　his　tremulous　lips；　were　all　eloquent　of　this　new　passion　that　possessed　him。

As　for　Miss　Hazel；　accustomed　as　she　was　to　the　discriminating　admiration　of　her　fellow　clerks；　the　sincerity　and　abandonment　of　this　devotion　was　as　incense　to　her　flirtatious　soul。　　Avid　of　admiration　and　experienced　in　most　of　the　arts　and　wiles　necessary　to　secure　this　from　contiguous　males；　small　wonder　that　the　unsophisticated　Larry　became　her　easy　prey　long　before　she　had　brought　to　bear　the　full　complement　of　her　enginery　of　war。

It　was　a　happy　afternoon　for　the　boy；　but　when　informed　by　his　sisters　of　his　mother's　desire　that　he　should　return　with　them；　he　was　resolute　in　his　refusal；　urging　many　reasons　why　it　was　impossible　that　he　should　leave　the　car　and　his　comrades。　　There　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　leave　him　there　and　report　to　his　mother　their　failure。

〃I　might　have　known；〃　she　said。　　〃He　would　never　come　to　a　stranger's　house　in　his　old　clothes。　　I　will　just　bring　down　his　best　suit　after　tea。〃

The　dinner　hour　at　Dr。　Brown's　was　fully　occupied　with　an　animated　recital　of　the　adventures　of　the　afternoon。　　Each　member　of　the　car　party　was　described　with　an　accuracy　and　fulness　of　detail　that　would　have　surprised　him。

〃And　you　know；　Papa；〃　said　the　little　maid；　〃Tom　just　laughed　at　Larry　because　he　could　not　play　baseball　and　things；　and　I　just　told　him　that　Larry　could　play　the　mouth　organ　lovely　and　the　fiddle；　and　they　laughed　and　laughed。　　I　think　they　were　laughing　at　me。　　Tom　laughed　loudest　of　all；　and　he's　not　so　smart　himself；　and　anyway　Larry　passed　the　entrance　a　year　ago　and　I　just　told　him　so。〃

〃Oh；　did　you；〃　said　her　father；　〃and　how　did　Master　Tom　take　that？〃

〃He　didn't　laugh　quite　as　much。　　I　don't　think　I　like　him　very　much。〃

〃Ah？〃

〃But　Hazel；　she　was　just　lovely　to　Larry。　　I　think　she's　nice；　Papa；　and　such　lovely　cheeks　and　hair。〃　　Here　Jane　sighed。

〃Oh；　has　she？　　She　is　quite　a　grown…up　young　lady；　is　she　not？〃

〃She　has　her　hair　up；　Papa。　　She's　sixteen；　you　know。〃

〃I　remember　you　told　me　that　she　had　reached　that　mature　age。〃

〃And　I　think　Larry　liked　her；　too。〃

〃Ah？　　And　why　do　you　think　so？〃

〃He　just　looked　at　her；　and　looked；　and　looked。〃

〃Well；　that　seems　fairly　good　evidence。〃

〃And　he　is　coming　up　here　to…night　when　we　bring　him　his　good　clothes。〃

〃Oh；　you　are　to　bring　him　his　good　clothes；　are　you？〃

〃Yes；　Mrs。　Gwynne　and　I　are　taking　them　down　in　the　carriage。〃

〃Oh；　in　the　carriageMrs。　Gwynne〃

〃Yes；　you　know　　Oh；　here's　Nora　at　the　door。　　Excuse　me；　Papa。　　I　am　sure　it　is　important。〃

She　ran　to　the　door　and　in　a　moment　or　two　returned　with　a　note。　〃It's　for　you；　Papa；　and　I　know　it's　about　the　carriage。〃　　She　watched　her　father　somewhat　anxiously　as　he　read　the　note。

〃Umm…um。　　Very　good；　very　nice　and　proper。　　Certainly。　　Just　say　to　Mrs。　Gwynne　that　we　are　very　pleased　to　be　able　to　serve　her　with　the　carriage；　and　that　we　hope　Larry　will　do　us　the　honour　of　coming　to　us。〃

Jane　nodded　delightedly。　　〃I　know；　Papa。　　I　told　her　that　already。　But　I'll　tell　her　this　is　the　answer　to　the　note。〃

Under　Jane's　direction　and　care　they　made　their　visit　to　the　car；　but　on　their　return　no　Larry　was　with　them。　　He　would　come　after　the　picnic　and　baseball　game　tomorrow；　perhaps；　but　not　to…night。　His　mother　was　plainly　disappointed；　and　indeed　a　little　hurt。　　She　could　not　understand　her　son。　　It　was　not　his　clothes　after　all　as　she　had　thought。　　She　pondered　over　his　last　words　spoken　as　he　bade　her　farewell　at　the　car　door；　and　was　even　more　mystified。

〃I'll　be　glad　when　we　get　to　our　own　place　again；〃　he　said。　　〃I　hate　to　be　beholden　to　anybody。　　We're　as　good　as　any　of　them　anyway。〃　　The　bitterness　in　his　tone　mystified　her　still　more。

It　was　little　Jane　who　supplied　the　key　to　the　mystery。　　〃I　don't　think　he　likes　Tom　very　much；〃　said　the　little　girl。　　〃He　likes　Hazel；　though。　　But　he　might　have　come　to　our　house；　I　did　not　laugh。〃　　And　then　the　mother　thought　she　understood。

That　sudden　intensity　of　bitterness　in　her　boy's　voice　startled　her　a　little；　but　deep　down　in　her　heart　she　was　conscious　of　a　queer　feeling　of　satisfaction；　almost　of　pride。　　〃He's　just　like　his　father；〃　she　said　to　herself。　　〃He　likes　to　be　independent。〃　Strict　honesty　in　thought　made　her　add；　〃And　like　me；　too；　I　fear。〃

The　picnic　day　was　one　of　those　intensely　hot　June　days　when　the　whole　world　seems　to　stand　quivering　and　breathlessly　attent　while　Nature　works　out　one　of　her　miracles　over　fields　of　grain；　over　prairie　flowers；　over　umbrageous　trees　and　all　things　borne　upon　the　bosom　of　Mother　Earth；　checking　the　succulence　of　precocious　overgrowths；　hardening　fibre；　turning　plant　energy　away　from　selfish　exuberance　in　mere　stalk　building　into　the　altruistic　sacrament　of　ripening　fruit　and　hardening　grain。　　A　wise　old　alchemist　is　Mother　Earth；　working　in　time　but　ever　for　eternity。

The　picnickers　who　went　out　to　the　park　early　in　the　day　were　driven　for　refuge　from　the　blazing　sun　to　the　trees　and　bushes；　where　prostrated　by　the　heat　they　lay　limp　and　flaccid　upon　the　grass。　　Miss　Hazel　Sleighter；　who　for　some　reason　which　she　could　not　explain　to　herself　had　joined　the　first　contingent　of　picnickers；　was　cross；　distinctly　and　obviously　cross。　　The　heat　was　trying　to　her　nerves；　but　worse；　it　made　her　face　redred　all　over。　　Her　pink　parasol　intensified　the　glow　upon　her　face。

〃What　a　fool　I　was　to　come；　in　this　awful　heat；〃　she　said　to　herself。　　〃They　won't　be　here　for　hours；　and　I　will　be　just　like　a　wash…rag。〃

Nor　was　Larry　enjoying　the　picnic。　　The　material　comforts　in　the　form　of　sandwiches；　cakes　and　pies；　gloriously　culminating　in　lemonade　and　ice　cream；　while　contributing　a　temporary　pleasure；　could　not　obliterate　a　sense　of　misery　wrought　in　him　by　Miss　Hazel's　chilly　indifference。　　That　young　lady；　whose　smiles　so　lavishly　bestowed　only　yesterday　had　made　for　him　a　new　heaven　and　a　new　earth；　had　to…day　merely　thrown　him　a　passing　glance　and　a　careless　〃Hello；〃　as　she　floated　by　intent　on　bigger　game。

In　addition；　the　boy　was　conscious　of　an　overpowering　lassitude　that　increased　as　the　day　wore　on。　　His　misery　and　its　chief　cause　had　not　escaped　the　observing　eyes　of　the　little　maid；　Jane　Brown；　whose　clear　and　incisive　voice　was　distinctly　audible　as　she　confided　to　her　friend　Nora　her　disappointment　in　Miss　Hazel。

〃She　won't　look　at　him　to…day；〃　she　said。　　〃She's　just　waiting　for　the　boys　to　come。　　She'll　be　nicer　then。〃

There　was　no　animus　in　the　voice；　only　surprise　and　disappointment。　To　Larry；　however；　the　fact　that　the　secret　tragedy　of　his　soul　was　thus　laid　bare；　filled　him　with　a　sudden　rage。　　He　cast　a　wrathful　eye　upon　the　little　maid。　　She　met　his　glance　with　a　placid　smile；　volunteering　the　cheerful　remark；　〃They　won't　be　long　now。〃

A　fury　possessed　the　boy。　　〃Oh　shut　your　mouth；　will　you？〃　he　said；　glaring　at　her。

For　a　moment　little　Jane　looked　at　him；　surprise；　dismay；　finally　pity　succeeding　each　other　in　the　deep　blue　eyes。　　Hastily　she　glanced　about　to　see　if　the　others　had　heard　the　awful　outburst。　She　was　relieved　to　note　that　only　Joe　and　Nora　were　near　enough　to　hear。　　She　settled　herself　down　in　a　position　of　greater　comfort　and　confided　to　her　friend　Nora　with　an　air　of　almost　maternal　solicitude；　〃I　believe　he　has　a　pain。　　I　am　sure　he　has　a　pain。〃

Larry　sprang　to　his　feet；　and　without　a　glance　at　his　anxious　tormentor　said；　〃Come　on；　Joe；　let's　go　for　a　hunt　in　the　woods。〃

Jane　looked　wistfully　after　the　departing　boys。　　〃I　wish　they　would　ask　us；　Nora。　　Don't　you？　　I　think　he　is　nice　when　he　isn't　mad；〃　she　said。　　To　which　Nora　firmly　assented。

A　breeze　from　the　west　and　the　arrival　of　the　High　School　team；　resplendent　in　their　new　baseball　uniform