live in the country. We know the real charm of night here as town
dwellers never do. Every night is beautiful in the country--even the
stormy ones. I love a wild night storm on this old gulf shore. As for a
night like this, it is almost too beautiful--it belongs to youth and
dreamland and I'm half afraid of it."

"I feel as if I were part of it," said Rilla.

"Ah yes, you're young enough not to be afraid of perfect things. Well,
here we are at the House of Dreams. It seems lonely this summer. The
Fords didn't come?"

"Mr. and Mrs. Ford and Persis didn't. Kenneth did--but he stayed with
his mother's people over-harbour. We haven't seen a great deal of him
this summer. He's a little lame, so didn't go about very much."

"Lame? What happened to him?"

"He broke his ankle in a football game last fall and was laid up most of
the winter. He has limped a little ever since but it is getting better
all the time and he expects it will be all right before long. He has
been up to Ingleside only twice."

"Ethel Reese is simply crazy about him," said Mary Vance. "She hasn't
got the sense she was born with where he is concerned. He walked home
with her from the over-harbour church last prayer-meeting night and the
airs she has put on since would really make you weary of life. As if a
Toronto boy like Ken Ford would ever really think of a country girl like
Ethel!"