They laughed together, youthfully. "You are right," he said.

And with a sigh of relief, Prudence answered, "That's the first time I
ever got a hundred in anything in my life. I was very much accustomed
to eighties when I was in school. I am very common and unbrilliant,"
she assured him. "Fairy says you are perfectly horribly clever----"

She glanced up when she heard his exclamation, and laughed at his
rueful face. "Oh, that isn't Fairy's expression. She thinks brilliant
and clever people are just adorable. It is only I who think them
horrible." Even Prudence could see that this did not help matters.
"I--I do not mean that," she stammered. "I am sure you are very nice
indeed, and we are going to be good friends, aren't we? But I am such
a dunce myself that I am afraid of real clever people. They are so
superior. And so uninteresting, and--oh, I do not mean that either."
Then Prudence laughed at her predicament. "I may as well give it up.
What I really mean is that you are so nice and friendly and
interesting, that I can hardly believe you are so clever. You are the
nicest smart person I ever saw,--except my own family, I mean." She
smiled up at him deliciously. "Does that make it square?"

"More than square," he said. "You are too complimentary. But the only
thing that really counts to-day is whether we are going to be real good
friends, as you suggested. We are, aren't we? The very best and
closest of friends?"

"Yes," agreed Prudence, dimpling. "I like men to be my friends,--nice
men, I mean. But it isn't always safe. So many start out to be good
friends, and then want to be silly. So a girl has to be very careful.
But it's perfectly safe with you, and so we can be the very best of