"May I come over and hear you sing to-morrow afternoon—under the apple-trees?"
"Yes," she answered simply.
He came alone. It must have required an amount of finesse and strategy for him to get away from Walter and Violet. But he accomplished it.
Jaquelina was waiting for him under the apple-trees. Her heart thrilled with a strange pleasure as she saw the tall, handsome young man coming toward her. She wore, in anticipation of his coming, a pretty, inexpensive cambric, with a pattern of tiny rose-buds, and a delicate lace frill fastened at her throat with a cluster of roses. He saw that she had grown more delicately lovely since last year. The tanned complexion had acquired a mellow, creamy fairness, the short, soft rings of hair were longer, and clustered on her shoulders in shining luxuriance, the crimson lips had taken a softer, tender curve, the dark eyes had grown dreamy and thoughtful.
"You came alone?" she said, and there was an accent of surprise in her voice.
"Yes, I preferred it. Are you disappointed that Walter and Violet did not accompany me?" he inquired.
Jaquelina answered no with pretty frankness, and an utter lack of self-consciousness that was very charming.
"I dare say they would think me very selfish if they knew I had come over to the farm alone," he said. "I slipped away from them. I am very selfish sometimes. I want you to sing your pretty songs to an audience of one."
"I am quite willing," she replied, happily.