"Say yes!" he begged, in a new tone.
"Yes," I whispered, hiding my face behind my hair.
Somebody rattled the knob again. They were growing impatient.
"Well, good-bye," he said, in a hurried way. His hands were back in his pockets.
"Good-bye," I answered.
He went toward the door, then turned again, as if he had forgotten something, and stood thinking.
"Will you give me that?" he asked, pointing to a wee blue bow on my sleeve.
I unpinned it, and laid it in his hand. He fastened it to the front of his coat. He strutted a little as he went into the parlor. I could see by his smile that he was pleased.
It was my turn now, and I must call a little boy, for that was what all the girls did. I looked in the parlor, undecidedly. There was the stout boy going by with a cheerful wink, and away in the back of the room a nice little fairhaired boy named Eddie was watching me, wistfully. I called Eddie, with sudden fearlessness. He came with a rush, and closed the door behind him. Then he kissed me before I could say a single word! I pushed him away, and began to cry. Even through my bitter tears I could see his astonished face. How was he to know that all my life I had hated to be kissed by strangers. And now by a boy!
"Why, that's the game!" he cried, eagerly. "What did you call me out for?"