"Jerrold Harmer," she said slowly and very musically. "It is such a nice name. Do your friends call you Jerry?"
"The boys at school called me Roldie, and sometimes Hammie. But my mother always called me Jerry. She isn't living now, either. You call me Jerry, will you?"
"Yes, I will, but it won't be proper. But that never makes any difference to me,--except when it might shock the members! You want me to call you Jerry, don't you?"
"Yes, I do. And when we are better acquainted, will you let me call you Prudence?"
"Call me that now.--I can't be too particular, you see, when I am lying on your coat and pillowed with your belongings. You might get cross, and take them away from me.--Did you go to college?"
"Yes, to Harvard, but I was not much of a student. Then I knocked around a while, looking at the world, and two years ago I went home to Des Moines. I have been there ever since except for little runs once in a while."
Prudence sighed. "To Harvard!--I am sorry now that I did not go to college myself."
"Why? There doesn't seem to be anything lacking about you. What do you care about college?"
"Well, you went to college," she answered argumentatively. "My sister Fairy is going now. She's very clever,--oh, very. You'll like her, I am sure,--much better than you do me, of course." Prudence was strangely downcast.
"I am sure I won't," said Jerrold Harmer, with unnecessary vehemence. "I don't care a thing for college girls. I know a lot of them, and--aw, they make a fellow tired. I like home girls,--the kind that stay at home, and keep house, and are sweet, and comfortable, and all that." Jerrold flipped over abruptly, and lay on the grass, his face on his arms turned toward her face. They were quiet for a while, but their glances were clinging.
"Your eyes are brown, aren't they?" Prudence smiled, as though she had made a pleasant discovery.
"Yes. Yours are blue. I noticed that, first thing."
"Did you? Do you like blue eyes? They aren't as--well, as strong and expressive as brown eyes. Fairy's are brown."
"I like blue eyes best. They are so much brighter and deeper. You can't see clear to the bottom of blue eyes,--you have to keep looking." And he did keep looking.
"Did you play football at college? You are so tall. Fairy's tall, too. Fairy's very grand-looking. I've tried my best to eat lots, and exercise, and make myself bigger, but--I am a fizzle."