GAY CAME RUNNING FORWARD
"I'm glad that you are a boy," said Miss Linn, with a sigh of relief; "it explains a good many things."
"My actions?" said Gay. "Oh, it was awful, I can tell you. It is just like waiting to sneeze in church when you know all the time you mustn't, to try to be a girl when you are really a boy!"
There was a general laugh at Gay's comparison, in which it might have been noticed the Hazelnook young people joined very faintly. After a slight pause Lyman arose; his companions rose, also, for by some mysterious method of communication they knew that they were in sympathy with what he was about to say.
"I think," he said, slowly, but with suppressed feeling, "that it was a pretty crooked thing to deceive us deliberately by making us think that you were a fine girl. It can't help making a difference in our opinion of you, and I guess we'd better say good-by."
Lyman bowed to the company, the others did the same, then, like icicles under the noonday heat of the sun, they melted away out of the room.
When the little maid, in the quaint old-time frock, saw the favorite thus stripped of favor she put her arms about his neck and whispered—
"You have me, no matter what happens. Don't fuss," she added, for she had learned the lesson of patience. "If they really like you it will come out all right."