“Dear Marjorie:
“I think your last letter to me was a dandy. I read it twice and I was going to read it again only I lost it. Maybe I lost it on the football ground or in the street. But if anyone finds it they’ll see your name on the end of it and guess that I am the right Charlie it belongs to. Then I might get it again. I know you won’t be mad cause I lost it. I couldn’t help it.
“Connie is going to New York with Laurie for Thanksgiving. She has to go because he is her husband. We are very sorry. I don’t mean we are sorry because Laurie is her husband but because they are going away. The band is coming to our house for a party on Thanksgiving evening. I am going to play an awful hard piece on my fiddle that Father Stevens composed just for me. You’d better come home and then you can come to see us that night. I like you, Marjorie, quite a bit better than Mary Raymond. Connie says Mary is going to be married. I used to say when I was real little that I was going to marry her. I don’t say it now. I didn’t know any better then.
“I hope there will be snow and ice on Thanksgiving. Will you go skating on the pond with me if there is? I can skate fine and make a figure eight and a double loop on the ice. Hal Macy took me to the Sanford ice rink last Saturday afternoon. He showed me how to make the figure eight. He is a dandy fellow, only he doesn’t talk much. You ought to see him play basket ball. He has all the Sanford fellows beat. I like him because he always goes around with the fellows and not the girls. He thinks you are quite nice. I let him read your letter before I lost it and he said I was a lucky kid. I could write some more but I can’t think just what to write. I will write some more some other time. You had better come home soon. You and me and Hal Macy will go skating. It is all right for you to go with him. He would just as soon go any place with you because he has been to your house lots of times to parties and you have been to his house and that’s the way it is. I have to go and practice an hour on my fiddle so good-bye Marjorie and I send you my love. Hurry up home.
“From your best friend,
“Charlie Stevens.”
“Good for that kid!” The cry of approbation came straight from Jerry’s heart. “Old Hal has had a lonesome time in Sanford for the past two years. He could have gone into business for himself in New York after he was graduated from college, but he knew Father needed him in his business.” Jerry checked herself with the reminder that Hal would not wish her to glorify him, especially to Marjorie.
“Hal is splendid.” Marjorie was always first to give Hal his due, impersonally. “I know it has been lonesome for him in Sanford without the old crowd and—and—he must miss you so, Jerry,” she finished rather lamely. She meant it in all earnestness. She understood perfectly the bond between Hal and Jerry.
“Not half so much as I’m sure he misses you.” Jerry grew bold for once. “This is what he has written me. You can see for yourself what a good sport he is.” She did not look at Marjorie as she read:
“Dear Jerry: