must be again contrasting him with Zotique kept the crimson hue on his
face long after he sat down. The few remaining words which he spoke
were in continued praise of his brother, of whose cleverness both he
and his parents were very proud.

After the clapping of hands had subsided, the table was carried away
to make room for the dancing.

Feeling that he had utterly disgraced himself in Katie's eyes, Vital
wandered off to a quiet corner where he could see her without
attracting attention. It seemed to him, once or twice, that she looked
over inquiringly in his direction, but the thought that it was
presumptuous of him to imagine she would think of him now, made him
quickly decide that he had been mistaken as to the direction of her
glances. He was also convinced now that he had made a still more
serious mistake when he allowed himself to hope that she had
cherished tender thoughts of the many walks they had taken along the
quiet country road, and of the evenings he had spent with her.

Fearing to be thought unsociable, he rose hastily, and was soon
talking to the guests with unusual eagerness. His sudden lapses into
thought, however, created the impression in the minds of some of his
listeners that he was laboring under suppressed excitement.

At times, when he found himself drifting unconsciously toward Katie,
it was amusing to see what a hasty retreat he would beat.

As for Zotique, he had never enjoyed himself more. Scarcely for a
moment did he leave Katie's side. Brightly he talked to her of their
school-days and of the many pleasant parties they had met at before he