Then the school sang their Alma Mater--the undergraduates singing the first two verses, the graduates singing the last. The dear, familiar notes rang with a truer, braver cadence--one voice, clearer than the others, broke suddenly with feeling.
"Wasn't it all perfectly _beautiful_?" cried Gyp as the audience moved slowly after the files of graduates. "You couldn't _tell_ which was best of the program and it _was_ sad, wasn't it? Wasn't Uncle Johnny _splendid_? And didn't the girls look fine? You know Sheila Quinn was just sick over her dress--it was so plain--and she looked as lovely as _any_ of the others. Oh, goodness, _think_ how you'd feel if we were graduating. But I hope our Commencement will be just as nice! There's Barbara Lee, let's _hug_ her--think how _dreadful_ to have her go away. And Dana King's just waiting for you, Jerry----" Gyp ended her outburst by rushing to Miss Lee and throwing her long arms about her shoulders.
John Westley advanced upon them--with the strange new look still in his eyes.
"Gyp--you're wrinkling Miss Lee's pinkness." He tried to make his tone light. "Will you come into the library for a moment, Miss Lee? There's a book I want you to find for me." His eyes pleaded. Wondering a little, Barbara Lee walked away with him.
"Well, I never----" declared Gyp, disgusted. Then, in the stress of saying good-by to some of her schoolmates, she forgot Uncle Johnny and Barbara Lee.
John Westley had felt that the library would be quite deserted. Standing in the embrasure of the window through which the June light streamed, he told Barbara Lee in awkward, earnest words all that was in his heart. There was a humility in his voice, as he offered her his love, that brought a tender smile to the corners of her lips.
"I wanted you to know," he finished, simply. "I don't suppose--what I can offer--can find any place in your heart alongside of your splendid dreams--but, I wanted you to know that you have----"
"There's more than _one_ way to the stars----" she interrupted, lifting glowing eyes to his.
Gyp had said good-by to everyone she could lay a finger on. Then she remembered Uncle Johnny.
"Do you s'pose they're in the library _yet_?"
She and Jerry tiptoed along the corridor and peeped in the door. To their embarrassed amazement Uncle Johnny and Barbara Lee were standing looking out of the window--with their hands clasped.