"Not another word," said Janet, lifting her hand. "I feel ashamed now for having urged you."
Then feeling that she had made capital of the girl's unsuspicious eagerness, her tenderheartedness made her say: "Never mind, lassie, perhaps some other nice something will come along later. If it does I'll save it for you, shall I?"
This friendliness completely won Lillie. "Oh, how dear you are, Miss Ferguson. I'm so much obliged to you. Please don't think it is because I don't want to go. If it were anything else than this certain thing, I'd tell you. You do believe me and you do understand, don't you?"
"I understand perfectly," Janet told her. "I certainly hope you will enjoy your evening."
And then she took her leave, half regretting the part she had played.
"For diplomacy commend me to Janet Ferguson," said Cordelia when Janet told her story.
"I did feel mean to deceive that poor child," said Janet with a contrite look.
"There you go with your overstrained sympathies," said Lee. "I think you were the cleverest thing to pick out that silly little creature. Why, she gave herself away without half trying. If I had been she, I would have accepted and would have sent you a piteous note at the last moment pleading illness."
"We can't all use your Machiavellian methods," said Teddy, a trifle severely. "We haven't any of us forgotten your sophomore year when you went around for a week with your face tied up after some such performance."
Lee laughed. "Yes, and what a time I had keeping that wad of paper in my cheek to make it look swollen. I think as a class we were far ahead of the present one, and I don't wonder they come to us for pointers. You certainly have shown astuteness, Janet."