He was making his turn at the end of the street when she came down the steps and before he could reach her stepped into the machine.
"I have several little things to do after we"ve had our walk," she explained to Don, as he came up.
She made room for him by her side. Because he did not wish to argue before the chauffeur, he took his allotted place; but he himself gave the order to the driver:--
"Central Park."
Then he turned to her.
"When we get there we must get out and walk."
"Very well, Don," she submitted; "but I think we"d be much more comfortable right here."
She regarded him anxiously.
"Is anything worrying you, Don?"
"Only you," he answered.
"I?" she exclaimed. "If it"s because of Jimmy Schuyler, you needn"t worry any more. He was very nice at first, but later--well, he was too nice. You see, he forgot I was engaged."
"The little cad!" exclaimed Don.
"You mustn"t blame him too much. He just forgot. And now he is very attentive to Dolly."
"She allows it?"
"I think she rather likes him. She has invited him up to camp. And, Don, dear, she wants you to come too. It would be very nice if we could all go. Can"t you manage it?"
"It doesn"t appeal to me just now," he answered.
The machine had swung into the park. He ordered the chauffeur to stop.
"Come," he said to Frances.
He found the path from the drive where the children played, and he found the bench where he had sat with Sally Winthrop. Then all she had told him came back to him, as it had in the dairy lunch.
"It"s about the other plans I want to tell you out here," he began eagerly.
"Yes, Don."
"I"ve done a lot of work while you were away," he said proudly.
"It seems a pity it was necessary," she answered.
"It"s been the best thing that ever happened to me," he corrected her.
"It has made me see straight about a lot of things. And it"s helped me to make good in the office."
She looked puzzled.
"You mean you"ve been made a partner or something?"
"Hardly that--yet," he smiled. "But it"s pretty sure I"ll be put to selling when I come back."
"You"re going away?"
"I"m on my vacation," he explained. "This is the first day of my vacation."
"Oh, then you _can_ come with us?"
"I"d rather you came with me."
"With you, Don? But where?"
"Anywhere you wish, as long as we go together and alone. Only we must get back in two weeks."
"Don, dear!"
"I mean it," he went on earnestly. "I want to marry you to-morrow or next day. Your trunks are all packed, and you needn"t unpack them.
We"ll spend all the time we can spare in the mountains, and then come back--to the house. It"s all ready for you, Frances. It"s waiting for you."
She stared about in fear lest some one might be overhearing his rambling talk.
"Don," she gasped.
"Nora has cleaned every room," he ran on, "and I"ve saved a hundred dollars for the trip. And Farnsworth is going to give me a raise before December. He hasn"t promised it, but I know he"ll do it, because I"m going to make good. You and I together will make good."
She did not answer. She could not. She was left quite paralyzed. He was leaning forward expectantly.
"You"ll come with me?"
It was a full minute before she could answer. Then she said:--
"It"s so impossible, Don."
"Impossible?"
"One doesn"t--doesn"t get married that way!"
"What does it matter how one gets married?" he answered.
"What would people say?"
"I don"t care what they"d say."
"You mustn"t get like that, Don, dear," she chided him. "Why, that"s being an anarchist or something, isn"t it?"
"It"s just being yourself, little girl," he explained more gently.