While Cleve acknowledged in himself that he
was struck. When Sunday came Cleve occupied
the scat nearest the door, was the first one out and
waited for'her at the gate, Constance was new,
and pretty, and popular, so from the church door
to the gate she had to run a regular gauntlet of in
vitations from would-be escorts ; but she was true
to her Cleve ; she thought of him as that, and as
they walked up she did not scold or censure him
for making her walk so far before he met her. As
he was about to say good-night, she took his hand
in hers and said, "Cleve wont you go down and
walk up with me every Sabbath night ?" He re
plied, "yes, Miss Courtney if you wish me to."
"Of course Ido Cleve, or I would not tell you
that you could. But you must not call me Miss
Courtney any more ;. call me Constance or I will
not like h.
She said "good night," and Cleve returned to
his room. When he opened the door he was sur•
prised to see Beckie, Tom and several others of
his most intimate friends loafing in his room. As
he closed the door behind him he was greeted
with such names'as "Sport,—ladies man—mash
er" and the like. Tom spoke up and said, "we
all think you are a dandy and we are as badly
Kuck on you as you are on Miss Courtney," when
Cleve replied, "1 want you fellows to shut up ;Ind
get out of this ; I don't care a hill of beans what
you think." Beckie spoke up in a good nat
ured way, "I tell you one thing Cleve, if I were
to start to rush Miss Courtney, she would have no
use fur you." Cleve was mad in an instant and
exclaiming, "I can cut you out, you old ham" he
left them in possession of the room.
Up until the time when the November hop was
given by the college students, there had been no
more developments and Constance had made no
progress toward a decisive understanding between
herself and Cleve. Three days before the hop, he
asked her if he might act as her escort ; and as she
had received no other invitation, everyone expect •
ing that Cleve of course would take her, she ac
cepted. As they were returning, he with haughty
E LANCE.
THE FR
spirit, for it was his first appearance in a dress
suit, and she with sore feet, for he was an awkward
dancer•, she said to him, "Cleve we are real good
friends now are'nt we? We know each other
pretty well don't we? And Cleve I like you
pretty well, you are willing to let me like you
aren't you?• I want to ask a favor of you to
night; I suppose you'll consider it a very great
sacrifice on your part, but Cleve," she said as she
triej the door to be sure that it was open, "Since
you and I have become so well acquainted and
have gotten to think so much of each other, I
want you to let me kiss you good night." He
looked up in innocent surprise and as she whisp
ered in his ear "silence gives consent Cleve;" he
awoke from his rapture to find himself atone.,
Now it so happened that Constance had a cous
in living in Cleve's native village and she was de•
termined to spend at least, part of the coming
Christmas vacation with this cousin.
She and Cleve had a real pleasint time sitting
together in the train, and after handing her over
to her cousio's keeping at the depot and promis
ing 'to call the following evening, he •bade her
good-bye.
He kept the engagement and just as he was
leaving she said to him, "tomorrow Cleve, you
must take me to call upon your Mamma." About
four o'clock the following afternoon he called for
her and together they walked to his home. Upon
entering the parlor, Mrs. Dunderdale was much
surprised to see Cleve accompanied by a beautiful
young lady. As she arose Cleve went up to her
saying, "mother, this is Miss Court— Constance
I mean, she is ?—"
He wanted me to say to you Mrs. Dunderdale,
broke in Constance, that he has brought
home to you a Christmas present.
Before Cleve's mother could recover from her
surprise, Cleve rushed up to Constance with out
stretched arms, exclaiming, "How could you do
it Connie ?" Throwing herself upon his manly
bosom, and putting her graceful arms about his
neck in tender embrace as she drew his face down