"It's only dirty because it's so enterprising," she said, apologetically. "You can't stop to trouble about your looks if you've got a lot to do."
"Quite true, America. But still, what is there besides enterprise in that dirty little town that makes you--"
"_Little!_ Why, my father says there are 35,000 inhabitants."
"Ah, there's safety in numbers. I fancied from your expression you had forgotten 34,999 of them."
"There's the carriage," said Val, not looking in his face.
"How long is he going to stay, grandma?" asked Emmie, as the two figures came towards them.
"I think he means to be here a long while."
"Well, he said something to Val about hating Christmas, 'cause it always made him miserable. Val said: 'Stay here with us and you won't be miserable.' He said: 'No, I don't think it would be easy to be miserable with you.' And he looked so pleased. Let's ask him to stay."
Mrs. Gano watched the advancing pair with grave eyes. It was rare to see Val with such a heightened color.
It rained the next day, and there was no driving. But Val, in any case, had an old engagement of much importance. Jessie Hornsey, a cousin of Harry Wilbur's, was giving a "tea-fight." Miss Hornsey had "graduated" that June, and was, in spite of her great age, a particular friend of Val's, who had been much honored by her condescension in the past, and by the special mark of favor in the present invitation. At the last moment came little pink note No. 2, to say that Miss Hornsey had heard that Miss Gano had a cousin staying with her: would she bring him? Val, already dressed and ready to go, precipitated herself down-stairs to find her cousin. He was stretched out comfortably before the parlor fire reading an old battered book.
"Here, read this instead." She spread the blushing sheet triumphantly over the yellow page.
He looked up, smothering a yawn behind his even white teeth, stirred lazily in the depths of his arm-chair, and then dropped his eyes upon Miss Hornsey's note.
"That this is a very handsome proposition."
"She's awfully nice--she's Harry's cousin--and all the _older_ girls and boys will be there. You'll like it. I should think there'd be hardly anybody else as young as I am."
"I think it's _very_ nice of Jessie Hornsey to ask me."