David affected surprise. “Why, what was there in that remark that you could take personally?”
“Oh, I wish I had a real bomb to burst on you!” exclaimed Katharine.
“Then I should not be able to take you to the festivities this evening,” said David. “I suppose that now we might as well be on our way.”
At Harvard Square Mrs. Ives left them and went home; the festivities, she said with a laugh, were not for her. Katharine and David stopped in front of the bulletin that announced the victory of Harvard over Yale in baseball by the score of 5 to 3.
“Isn’t that great!” said David. “Now to-morrow we’ll surely win on our own grounds. I wonder what Lester did.”
“Sometimes you make me almost jealous of Lester,” said Katharine. “I almost think you like him more than you do me.”
“I like him a lot,” replied David. “But not more than I do you.”
The “spread” to which David conducted Katharine was one of numerous “spreads,” as they were called, at which members of the graduating class entertained their relatives and friends. This particular one was held on the lawn adjoining a dormitory; small tables were set out on the grass; in a tent at one side there was dancing; electric lights in Chinese lanterns that were strung overhead illuminated the scene when twilight fell. Katharine and David and Richard and Marion Bradley seized upon a table and refreshed themselves with lobster-Newburg, strawberries and ice cream; then they strolled about among the tables, greeting friends and being introduced to friends of friends. Romance was in the air; several engagements that had been announced that day were a topic of conversation, particularly as the seniors who had thus plighted themselves and the girls to whom they were plighted were present and were receiving congratulations and undergoing inspection. It was impossible for Katharine and David to remain unaffected by such an atmosphere.
“Don’t I wish we were announcing our engagement, too!” murmured David to her in one of the moments when they had the table to themselves.