A Knot of Blue Ribbon
She slipped a knot of pale blue ribbon from the end of one of her long, golden braids, and gave it to him.
"Yes," he said. Then he added, anxiously, "are you sure you don't need it? If you do——"
"If I do," she answered, smiling, "I'll either get another, or tie my braid with a string."
Outwardly, they were back upon the old terms again, but, for the first time since the mud-pie days, Barbara was self-conscious. Her heart beat strangely, heavy with the prescience of new knowledge. When Roger rose from his chair with a bit of blue ribbon protruding from his coat pocket, she laughed hysterically.
But Roger did not laugh. He bent over her, with all his boyish soul in his eyes. She crimsoned as she turned away from him.
Please?
"Please?" he asked, very tenderly. "You did once."
"No," she cried, shrilly.
Roger straightened himself instantly. "Then I won't," he said, softly. "I won't do anything you don't want me to—ever."