"Well, what do you want me to do about it, give away my money?"
"Of course not. I was a cad and all that, but somehow it seemed as though I hadn"t any business to be coming around you when you were so young and with plenty of chances of men worth more than I----"
"More what? More money?"
"Leslie, this is a serious matter with me----"
"Well, it is with me, too," said Leslie, suddenly grave. "You certainly have made me most unhappy for about three weeks. But I"m beginning to think you don"t love me after all. What is money between people who love each other? Only something that they can have a good time spending for others, isn"t it? And suppose _I_ should say I wouldn"t let _you support me_? I guess after all if you think so much of money you don"t really care!"
"Leslie!" Their eyes met and his suddenly fell before her steady, beautiful gaze:
"Well, then, Howard Letchworth, if you are so awfully proud that you have to be the richest, I"ll throw away or give away all my money and be a pauper, _so there_! Then will you be satisfied? What"s money without the one you love, anyway?"
"I see, Leslie! I was a fool. You darling, wonderful princess. No, keep your money and I"ll try to make some more and we"ll have a wonderful time helping others with it. I suppose I knew I was a fool all the time, only I wanted to be told so, because you see that fellow told me you and he had been set apart for each other by your parents----!"
A sudden lurch of the canoe roused him to look at Leslie"s face:
"Oh, that little--liar! Yes, he is! He is the meanest, conceitedest, most disagreeable little sn.o.b----!"
"There, there! We"ll spare him----" laughed Howard. "I see I was wrong again, only, Leslie, little princess, there"s one thing you must own is true, you"re very young yet and you may change----"
"Now, _I like that_!" cried Leslie. "You don"t even think I have the stability to be true to you. Well, if I"m as weak-looking as that you better go and find someone else----"
But he stopped her words with his face against her lips, and his arms about her, and at last she nestled against his shoulder and was at peace.
Chiming out above the notes of the wood-robin and the thrush there came the faint and distant notes of the quarter hour striking on the college library. It was Leslie who heard it. Howard was still too far upon the heights to think of earthly duties yet awhile.
"Howard! Isn"t this your Cla.s.s Day? And haven"t you a part in the exercises? Why aren"t you there?"
He turned with startled eyes, and rising color.
"I couldn"t stay, Leslie. I was too miserable! I had to come after you. You promised to be with me to-day, you know----"
"But your Cla.s.s Poem, Howard! Quick! It must be almost time to read it----!"
He took out his watch.
"Great Scott! I didn"t know the time had gone like that!"
Leslie"s fingers were already at work with the other canoe, tying its chain to the seat of her own.
"Now!" she turned and picked up her paddle swiftly, handing Howard the other one. "Go! For all your worth! You mustn"t fail on this day anyway! Beat it with all your might!"
"It"s too late!" said the man reluctantly, taking the paddle and moving to his right position.
"It"s not too late. It _shan"t_ be too late! _Paddle_, I say, _now_, ONE--and--TWO--and----!"
And they settled to a rhythmic stroke.
"It was so wonderful back there, Leslie," said Howard wistfully. "We oughtn"t to let anything interfere with this first hour together."
"This isn"t interfering," said Leslie practically, "it"s just duty, and that never interferes. Here, we"ll land over there and you beat it up the hill! I"ll padlock the boats by that old tree and follow, but _don"t you dare_ wait for me! I"ll be there to hear the first word and they"ll have waited for you, I know. A little to the right, there--_now_--step out and _beat it_!"
He obeyed her, and presently came panting to the audience room, with a fine color, and a great light in his eyes, just as Halsted was slipping down to inquire of Allison:
"Where in thunder is Letchworth? Seen him anywhere?"
"Heavens, man! Hasn"t he showed up yet?" cried Allison startled.
"Where could he be?"
Julia Cloud beside him leaned over and quietly drew their attention to the figure hastening up the aisle. Halsted hurried back to the platform, and Allison, relieved, settled once more in his seat. But Julia Cloud rested not in satisfaction until another figure breathlessly slipped in with eyes for none but the speaker.
Then into the eyes of Julia Cloud there came a vision as comes to one who watching the glorious setting of the sun sees not the regretful close of the day that is past, but the golden promise of the day that is to come.