He had been quite prepared for Cressy's absence from school that
morning--indeed in his present vacillating mood he had felt that her
presence would have been irksome and embarrassing; but it struck
him suddenly and unpleasantly that her easy desertion of him at that
critical moment in the barn had not since been followed by the least
sign of anxiety to know the result of her mother's interference. What
did she imagine had transpired between Mrs. McKinstry and himself? Had
she confidently expected her mother's prompt acceptance of the situation
and a reconciliation? Was that the reason why she had treated that
interruption as lightly as if she were already his recognized betrothed?
Had she even calculated upon it? had she--? He stopped, his cheek
glowing from irritation under the suspicion, and shame at the disloyalty
of entertaining it.
Opening his desk, he began to arrange his papers mechanically, when
he discovered, with a slight feeling of annoyance, that he had placed
Cressy's bouquet--now dried and withered--in the same pigeon-hole with
the mysterious letters with which he had so often communed in former
days.
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