Aunt Jane, sitting at her desk in the office, looked up as he went by.
He nodded and smiled to her, thinking of the little card tucked away in his pocket.
She got up and came across. "You going out home?" she asked.
He radiated happiness. "A ripping good day, isn't it!" He waved his hand at all outdoors.
"You'll have a good time," said Aunt Jane. "And Miss Canfield's a nice girl." She was surveying his new clothes kindly. "I'm glad you're going to take her."
"So am I!" said the boy. "She's waiting for me—" And he hurried on.
But Miss Canfield was not in the waiting-room. He glanced hurriedly about, and crossed to the open window and looked into the street. He could not sit down.
It was a glorious day—floating clouds, everything fresh and flooded with light.... Down on the walk under the window the man-of-all-work trundled a low cart, and the rumble of the wheels came up, chucking clumsily along.
The young man scarcely heard the sound of the wheels. His ear was waiting for something in the corridor—for light footsteps that would come.... He shrugged his shoulders, looking down on the man trundling his cart, and he whistled softly.... Then his ear caught the sound, coming along the corridor far off—light, tripping steps and the little swish of draperies—and he had turned to face her.
It was not Miss Canfield!