Mary smiled. "Perhaps he didn't expect to see me here, Mrs. Wyeth," she
said. "How do you do, Sam?"

She and Sam shook hands. Mrs. Wyeth asked another question.

"Didn't you know Mary was with me, Samuel?" she asked.

"Oh, yes, Cousin Emily, I knew. I knew she was here, of course. But--but
I didn't--by George!" with a sudden outburst of his real feelings, "I
hardly knew her, though. Really, I didn't."

Mary laughed. "Have I grown so much older in two months?" she asked.

"Oh, you haven't changed that way. I--I--" The young man, realizing that
he was getting into deep water, seized an opportunity to scramble out.
"Oh, I forgot!" he exclaimed. "Sorry, Crawford. Mary--Miss Lathrop, I
want to present my friend, Crawford Smith. He's my roommate at college."

Mary and Crawford shook hands.

"I have met Mr. Smith, too, before," she said.

The young gentlemen, both of them, looked astonished.

"Have you?" cried Sam. "Oh, I say! I didn't know that. When was it?"

His friend, too, was plainly puzzled. "I hardly think so," he said. "I
don't believe I should have forgotten it. I don't remember--"

"Don't you remember coming into my uncles' store at South Harniss