Reading Marjorie's thoughts, Harold explained that John was expecting a long-distance call from Trenton.
"His mother is staying there with a friend, and as she is one of the patronesses of the dance she will chaperone you girls. We thought we'd drive over this afternoon and have supper with Mrs. Hadley's friend, and then all go to the dance. And we'll all drive back here afterward—Mrs. Hadley and John are to stay at our house."
"Lovely!" cried Ruth; for this program stretched the party over a longer period than they had anticipated.
Marjorie had not seen John since the previous Thanksgiving and she realized that she was becoming rather excited. When the machine drove up to Mason's, he was on the porch to meet them.
"By George! this is great!" he cried, running down and opening the door of the car. "I'm so glad to see you—both!"
He shook hands with Ruth and Marjorie, and the girls got out of the car, Ruth running in next door to find her mother.
"It was lovely of you to invite me," said Marjorie, a little at a loss regarding what to say after so many months.
"It was wonderful of you to come," he replied, sincerely. A sudden pang of jealousy seized him. What had Marjorie been doing all this time? Had another fellow cut him out? They had exchanged only two or three letters during the whole year, and all of these had been very impersonal.