Steve speculated as to whether she would prove to be as pretty at close range as she was at a distance and decided9 not. Distance always brings a
glamor10 with it. However, pretty or not, there was no disputing that she was a great favorite for every circle of students opened its magic ring at her approach and greeted her with a noisy clamor of affection. That she held herself with quiet reserve and was less demonstrative than those about her did not appear to lessen11 in the least their regard for her, and as Stephen watched he registered the wager12 that she was a person of more common sense than most girls.
Until recently it had been his habit to condemn13 the entire sex; but of late he had discovered that exceptions might be made to his rule. There were girls in the world worth noticing, even some worth talking to; and he felt certain that this attractive creature in white was one of them. However, it was an absurdity14 to be thinking about her now and quite beneath his dignity. But he meant sometime, when he could do so in casual fashion, to find out from Doris who she was. He had a curiosity to know what this person who looked as if she could row a boat, swim, and play tennis well, was called. Doris was always raving15 about her roommate, Jane Harden. She had said so much about her that he fairly detested16 the sound of her name. Now if only Jane Harden were a girl like this one, there would be some reason and excuse for being enthusiastic over her. To have this guest brought home to spend the Christmas holidays would be a pleasure to look forward to. How well she would skate and how gracefully17; and how
pretty she would be, especially if she had her hat off as she had now!
It was Doris who interrupted his reverie with the words:
"I hate to have you dear people go but I suppose you will have to. But do just wait long enough for me to see if I can't find Jane somewhere. She is crazy to meet my family and will scold me to death if I let you get away."
"I am afraid we can't stay but a moment or two, dear," objected Mrs. Tolman. "It is growing late, you know, and we must get to the hotel before it is too dark."
"But I won't delay you a second, Mother—truly, I won't. I do want you to meet Jane. I'll ask the girls if they have seen her anywhere."
"If you get out into that mob they'll fall all over you and you'll never get back," growled18 Steve, who was beginning to feel hungry and was none too graciously inclined toward the prospective19 stranger.
"Oh, yes, I will," laughed Doris as she darted20 away.
In spite of this sanguine21 prediction, however, she did not return as promptly22 as she had promised, and Mr. Tolman began to fidget uneasily.
"We really ought to be starting on," he said at last. "Where is that child?"
"I knew she'd stop to admire everybody's new hat and talk over the whole summer," grumbled23 Steve scornfully.
"You are thinking of your dinner, son," his mother put in playfully.
"You bet I am! I'm hungry as a bear."
A pause followed in which visions of a big beefsteak with crisply fried potatoes blotted24 out every other picture from Steve's mind.
"Perhaps we ought not to have waited," he heard his mother murmur25. "But I had not the heart to disappoint Doris. She is so fond of Jane and has talked so much about her! I had no idea it would take her so long to—"
"Here she comes!" Mr. Tolman broke in.
Stephen glanced up. Yes, there was Doris hurrying across the grass and beside her, walking with the same free and buoyant swing, was the girl of the golden hair,—Jane Harden.
With the same reserve and yet without a shadow of self-consciousness she came forward and in acknowledgment of the hurried introductions extended her hand with a grave smile of welcome; but both smile and gesture carried with them a sincerity26 very appealing. When she greeted Steve he flushed at being addressed as Mr. Tolman and mentally rose six inches in his boots. Yes, she was decidedly pretty, far prettier than she had been in the distance even. In all his life he had never seen a more attractive girl.
"I hope, Jane, that you are coming home with Doris for a visit sometime when your own family can spare you," he heard his mother say. "We all should like to have you."
"And I should like to come," was the simple and direct answer.
"Do plan on it then. Come any time that you can arrange to. We should very much enjoy having you, shouldn't we, Stephen?"
Stephen, so suddenly appealed to, turned very red and answered "Yes" in a tone that seemed to come gruffly from way down inside his chest, and then to the sound of hasty farewells the car started and shot out into the village street and the campus with its rainbow-hued occupants was lost to sight.
"A charming girl, isn't she?" Mrs. Tolman said to her husband. "So natural and unaffected! Doris says that she is quite the idol27 of the college and bids fair to be class president. I wish Doris would bring her home for the holidays."
Inwardly Steve echoed the sentiment but outwardly he preserved silence. He was too human a boy to dwell long on thoughts of any girl and soon Jane Harden was quite forgotten in the satisfaction of a steaming dinner and a comfortable bed, and the fairy journey of the next day when amid a splendor28 of crimson29 and gold the glories of Jacob's Ladder and the Mohawk Trail stretched before his eyes.
Within the week the big red car headed for Coventry and without a mishap30 rolled into the familiar main street of the town which never had seemed dearer than after the interval31 of absence. As the automobile32 sped past, friendly faces nodded from the sidewalks and hands were waved in
greeting. Presently his mother called from the tonneau:
"Isn't that the Taylors' car, Henry, coming toward us? If it is do stop, for I want to speak to them."
Mr. Tolman nodded and slowed down the engine, at the same time putting out his hand to bring the on-coming car to a standstill. Yes, there were the Taylors, and on the front seat beside the chauffeur33 sat "But," the friend who had been most influential34 in coaxing35 Stephen into the dilemma36 of the past fortnight. It was Bud, Steve could not forget, who had been the first to drop out of the car when trouble had befallen and who had led the other boys off on foot with him to Torrington. The memory of his chum's treacherous37 conduct still rankled38 in Steve's mind. He had not spoken to him since. But now here the two boys were face to face and unless they were to betray to their parents that something was wrong they must meet with at least a semblance39 of cordiality. The question was which of them should be the first to make the advance.
Twice Bud cleared his throat and appeared to be on the verge40 of uttering a greeting when he encountered Stephen's scowl41 and lost courage to call the customary: "Ah, there, Stevie!"
And Stephen, feeling that right was on his side and being too proud to open the conversation, could not bring himself to say: "Hi, Bud!" as he always did.
As a result the schoolmates simply glared at each other.
Fortunately their elders were too much occupied with friendly gossip to notice them and it was not until the talk shifted abruptly42 into a channel that appalled43 both boys that their glance met with the sympathy of common danger.
It was Bud's mother from whose lips the terrifying words innocently fell.
"Havens45 ill and you in New York Wednesday!" she exclaimed incredulously. "But I certainly thought I saw your car turning into the gate that very afternoon."
"I guess not, my dear," asserted Mrs. Tolman tranquilly46. "The car has not been out of the garage until now. It must have been somebody else you saw."
"But it was your car—I am certain of it," persisted Mrs. Taylor.
"Nonsense, Mary!" laughed her husband. "If the car has been in the garage for a week how could it have been. You probably dreamed it. You want a big red car so much yourself that you see them in your sleep."
"No, I don't," protested Mrs. Taylor smiling good-humoredly at her husband's banter47.
"Well, it may have been the Woodworths'," Mrs. Tolman said with soothing48 inspiration. "They have a car like ours and Mrs. Woodworth came to call while I was away. I'll ask the maid when I get home."
"Y-e-s, it may have been the Woodworths'," admitted Mrs. Taylor reluctantly. It was plain, however, that she was unconvinced. "But I could have staked my oath that it was your car and Steve driving it," she added carelessly.
"Steve!" Mr. Tolman ejaculated.
"Oh, Steve never drives the car," put in Mrs. Tolman quickly. "He is not old enough to have a license49 yet, you know. That proves absolutely that you were mistaken. But Stephen has run the car now and then when Havens or his father were with him and he does very well at it. Some day he will be driving it alone, won't you, son?"
Bending forward she patted the boy's shoulder affectionately.
For an instant it seemed to Stephen as if every one in both cars must have heard the pound, pound, pound of his heart, as if everybody from Coventry to Torrington must have heard it. Helplessly he stared at Bud and Bud stared back. No words were needed to assure the two that once again they were linked together by misdoing as they often had been in the past. Bud looked anxiously toward his chum. He was a mischievous50, happy-go-lucky lad but in his homely51, freckled52 face there was a winsome53 manliness54. Whatever the scrapes he got into through sheer love of fun it was characteristic of him that he was always courageous55 enough to confess to them. This was the first inkling he had had that Stephen had not acquainted his father with the escapade of the
previous week and such a course was so at variance56 with his own frank nature that he was aghast. Even now he waited, expecting his pal44 would offer the true explanation of the mystery under discussion. He was ready to bear his share of the blame,—bear more than belonged to him if he could lighten Steve's sentence of punishment.
But the silence remained unbroken and the words he expected to hear did not come. A wave of surprise swept over his face, surprise followed by a growing scorn. It came to him in a flash that Stephen Tolman, the boy he had looked up to as a sort of idol, was a coward, a coward! He was afraid! It seemed impossible. Why, Steve was always in the thick of the football skirmishes, never shrinking from the roughness of the game; he was a fearless hockey player, a dauntless fighter. Coward was the last name one would have thought of applying to him. And yet here he sat cowering57 before the just result of his conduct. Bud was disappointed, ashamed; he turned away his head but not before the wretched lad who confronted him had caught in his glance the same contemptuous expression he had seen in O'Malley's face.
Again Stephen was despised and knew it.
Nevertheless it would not do to betray his secret now. He must not show that he was disconcerted. At every cost he must brazen58 out the affair. He had gone too far to do otherwise. He wondered as he sat there if any one suspected him; if his father, whose eye was as keen as that of an eagle,
had put together any of the threads of evidence. He might be cherishing suspicions this very moment. It seemed impossible that he shouldn't. If only he would speak and have it over! Anything would be better than this suspense59 and uncertainty60.
Mr. Tolman, however, maintained unwonted stillness and save for a restless twitching61 of his fingers on the wheel of the car did not move. If, thought Steve miserably62, he could summon the nerve to look up, he would know in a second from his father's face whether he was annoyed or angry. At last the situation became unbearable63 and come what might he raised his eyes. To his amazement64 his father was sitting there quite serenely65 and so was everybody else, and the pause that seemed to him to stretch into hours had glided66 off as harmlessly and as naturally as other pauses. Apparently67 nobody was thinking about him, at least nobody but Bud. With a sigh of relief his tense muscles relaxed. He could trust Bud not to betray him. Once again he was safe!
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1
spun
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| v.纺，杜撰，急转身 | |
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2
bevies
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| n.（尤指少女或妇女的）一群( bevy的名词复数 )；（鸟类的）一群 | |
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thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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advent
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| n.(重要事件等的)到来，来临 | |
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6
gushing
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| adj.迸出的；涌出的；喷出的；过分热情的v.喷，涌( gush的现在分词 )；滔滔不绝地说话 | |
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7
slanted
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| 有偏见的； 倾斜的 | |
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8
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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9
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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glamor
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| n.魅力，吸引力 | |
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lessen
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| vt.减少，减轻；缩小 | |
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12
wager
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| n.赌注；vt.押注，打赌 | |
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13
condemn
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| vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑 | |
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14
absurdity
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| n.荒谬，愚蠢；谬论 | |
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15
raving
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| adj.说胡话的；疯狂的，怒吼的；非常漂亮的；令人醉心[痴心]的v.胡言乱语(rave的现在分词)n.胡话；疯话adv.胡言乱语地；疯狂地 | |
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16
detested
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| v.憎恶，嫌恶，痛恨( detest的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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17
gracefully
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| ad.大大方方地；优美地 | |
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18
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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19
prospective
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| adj.预期的，未来的，前瞻性的 | |
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20
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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21
sanguine
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| adj.充满希望的，乐观的，血红色的 | |
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22
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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23
grumbled
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| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
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24
blotted
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| 涂污( blot的过去式和过去分词 )； （用吸墨纸）吸干 | |
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25
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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26
sincerity
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| n.真诚，诚意；真实 | |
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idol
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| n.偶像，红人，宠儿 | |
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28
splendor
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| n.光彩；壮丽，华丽；显赫，辉煌 | |
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crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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30
mishap
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| n.不幸的事，不幸；灾祸 | |
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31
interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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32
automobile
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| n.汽车，机动车 | |
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33
chauffeur
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| n.(受雇于私人或公司的)司机；v.为…开车 | |
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34
influential
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| adj.有影响的，有权势的 | |
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35
coaxing
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| v.哄，用好话劝说( coax的现在分词 )；巧言骗取；哄劝，劝诱；“锻炼”效应 | |
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36
dilemma
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| n.困境，进退两难的局面 | |
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37
treacherous
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| adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的 | |
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38
rankled
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| v.（使）痛苦不已，（使）怨恨不已( rankle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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39
semblance
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| n.外貌，外表 | |
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40
verge
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| n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临 | |
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41
scowl
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| vi.(at)生气地皱眉，沉下脸，怒视；n.怒容 | |
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42
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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43
appalled
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| v.使惊骇，使充满恐惧( appall的过去式和过去分词)adj.惊骇的；丧胆的 | |
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44
pal
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| n.朋友，伙伴，同志；vi.结为友 | |
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45
havens
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| n.港口，安全地方( haven的名词复数 )v.港口，安全地方( haven的第三人称单数 ) | |
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46
tranquilly
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| adv. 宁静地 | |
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47
banter
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| n.嘲弄，戏谑；v.取笑，逗弄，开玩笑 | |
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48
soothing
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| adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的 | |
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49
license
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| n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许 | |
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50
mischievous
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| adj.调皮的，恶作剧的，有害的，伤人的 | |
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51
homely
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| adj.家常的，简朴的；不漂亮的 | |
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52
freckled
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| adj.雀斑；斑点；晒斑；（使）生雀斑v.雀斑，斑点( freckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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winsome
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| n.迷人的，漂亮的 | |
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54
manliness
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| 刚毅 | |
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55
courageous
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| adj.勇敢的，有胆量的 | |
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56
variance
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| n.矛盾，不同 | |
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57
cowering
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| v.畏缩，抖缩( cower的现在分词 ) | |
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58
brazen
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| adj.厚脸皮的，无耻的，坚硬的 | |
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59
suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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60
uncertainty
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| n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物 | |
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61
twitching
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| n.颤搐 | |
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62
miserably
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| adv.痛苦地；悲惨地；糟糕地；极度地 | |
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63
unbearable
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| adj.不能容忍的；忍受不住的 | |
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64
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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65
serenely
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| adv.安详地，宁静地，平静地 | |
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66
glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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67
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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