第75章

Near her also stood her young hostess, and Wallace Banks, Johnnie Watson, and Joe Bullitt --three young gentlemen in a condition of solemn tensity.Miss Parcher saw William as he emerged from the station building, and she waved her parasol in greeting, attracting the attention of the others to him, so that they:

all turned and stared.

Seventeen sometimes finds it embarrassing (even in a state of deep emotion) to walk two hundred feet, or thereabout, toward a group of people who steadfastly watch the long approach.

And when the watching group contains the lady of all the world before whom one wishes to appear most debonair, and contains not only her, but several rivals, who, though FAIRLY good-

hearted, might hardly be trusted to neglect such an opportunity to murmur something jocular about one-- No, it cannot be said that William appeared to be wholly without self-consciousness.

In fancy he had prophesied for this moment something utterly different.He had seen himself parting from her, the two alone as within a cloud.He had seen himself gently placing his box of candy in her hands, some of his fingers just touching some of hers and remaining thus lightly in contact to the very last.He had seen himself bending toward the sweet blonde head to murmur the few last words of simple eloquence, while her eyes lifted in mysterious appeal to his --and he had put no other figures, not even Miss Parcher's, into this picture.

Parting is the most dramatic moment in young love, and if there is one time when the lover wishes to present a lofty but graceful appearance it is at the last.To leave with the loved one, for recollection, a final picture of manly dignity in sorrow--that, above all things, is the lover's desire.And yet, even at the beginning of William's two-hundred-foot advance (later so much discussed) he felt the heat surging over his ears, and, as he took off his hat, thinking to wave it jauntily in reply to Miss Parcher, he made but an uncertain gesture of it, so that he wished he had not tried it.Moreover, he had covered less than a third of the distance, when he became aware that all of the group were staring at him with unaccountable eagerness, and had begun to laugh.

William felt certain that his attire was in no way disordered, nor in itself a cause for laughter;--all of these people had often seen him dressed as he was to-day, and had preserved their gravity.But, in spite of himself, he took off his hat again, and looked to see if anything about it might explain this mirth, which, at his action, increased.Nay, the laughter began to be shared by strangers; and some set down their hand-luggage for greater pleasure in what they saw.

William's inward state became chaotic.

He tried to smile carelessly, to prove his composure, but he found that he had lost almost all control over his features.He had no knowledge of his actual expression except that it hurt him.