Peter gave his delighted shout of amusement. The conversation had returned to familiar channels.
"Lord, don't tell anyone! WE'LL know it, that's enough!" he said.
That was all. There was no chance for sentiment, they could not even clasp hands, here in the office. Susan, back at her desk, tried to remember exactly what HAD been said and implied.
"Peter, I'll have to tell Auntie!" she had exclaimed.
Peter had not objected, had not answered indeed.
"I'll have to take my time about telling MY aunt," he had said, "but there's time enough! See here, Susan, I'm dated with Barney White in Berkeley to-night--is that all right?"
"Surely!" Susan had assured him laughingly.
"You see," Peter had explained, "it'll be a very deuce of a time before we'll want everyone to know. There's any number of things to do. So perhaps it's just as well if people don't suspect---"
"Peter, how extremely like you not to care what people think as long as we're not engaged, and not to want them to suspect it when we are!" Susan could say, smiling above the deep hurt in her heart.
And Peter laughed cheerfully again.