To Doodles’s surprise he found his cheeks wet with tears, and the others were wiping their eyes. Why people should cry when they were happy he could not understand.
For a time words flew merrily from lip to lip. “To think that Cynthi’ Beadles should marry Zenas Camp!” laughed Dolly. Then she sobered, with a “Poor Cynthi’!”
“You’ll go home with me, this afternoon?” Grandpa Moon queried in a taken-for-granted tone.
The answer came promptly enough, “Of course I’ll go!” Yet she looked wistfully across at Doodles, and thought of somebody else with a tiny anxious scowl and a faint flush.
Shortly the two went off, arm in arm, Dolly eager to show her “cosy little den,” and to make grandpa a cup of tea. They did not return to say good-bye until after Mrs. Stickney and Blue had come and gone. Then the stay was too brief for the satisfaction of Doodles; but the train must be met, and there were several calls to be made first. So with promises to write, the parting was over.
Just before six o’clock, Mr. Gaylord dropped in, as he often did when he had a moment’s leisure. Doodles’s news left him grave.
“She wanted me to tell you she was sorry she couldn’t see you again,” the boy ended.
The young man’s response was to ask, “Where is her home?”
Doodles stared at him unseeingly. He was searching his memory. At last he dragged out his forlorn answer, “I don’t know!”
The other smiled grimly.