Foraninstantshewassilentwithrathersaddowncasteyes。Shewasabouttoretortbutsomethingcheckedthewordsonhertongue。Inclinationpromptedhertospeakout：dignitytoldhertobesilent。TheprettylipspoutedawhilebutthensheglancedupandbrokeoutintoajoyouslittlelaughwhichhadinitallthefreshnessofayoungMaymorning。Sheknewrightwell，no-onebetter，whatmadesquintyEdysaythatbecauseofhimcoolinginhisattentionswhenitwassimplyalovers’quarrel。Asperusualsomebody’snosewasoutofjointabouttheboythathadthebicyclealwaysridingupanddowninfrontofherwindow。OnlynowhisfatherkepthimintheeveningsstudyinghardtogetanexhibitionintheintermediatethatwasonandhewasgoingtoTrinitycollegetostudyforadoctorwhenheleftthehighschoollikehisbrotherW。E。WyliewhowasracinginthebicycleracesinTrinitycollegeuniversity。Littlereckedheperhapsforwhatshefelt，thatdullachingvoidinherheartsometimes，piercingtothecore。Yethewasyoungandperchancehemightlearntoloveherintime。TheywereprotestantsinhisfamilyandofcourseGertyknewWhocamefirstandafterHimtheblessedVirginandthenSaintJoseph。Buthewasundeniablyhandsomewithanexquisitenoseandhewaswhathelooked，everyinchagentleman，theshapeofhisheadtooatthebackwithouthiscaponthatshewouldknowanywheresomethingoffthecommonandthewayheturnedthebicycleatthelampwithhishandsoffthebarsandalsotheniceperfumeofthosegoodcigarettesandbesidestheywerebothofasizeandthatwaswhyEdyBoardmanthoughtshewassofrightfullycleverbecausehedidn’tgoandrideupanddowninfrontofherbitofagarden。
GertywasdressedsimplybutwiththeinstinctivetasteofavotaryofDameFashionforshefeltthattherewasjustamightthathemightbeout。Aneatblouseofelectricblue，selftintedbydollydyesbecauseitwasexpectedintheLady’sPictorialthatelectricbluewouldbeworn，withasmartveeopeningdowntothedivisionandkerchiefpocketinwhichshealwayskeptapieceofcottonwoolscentedwithherfavouriteperfumebecausethehandkerchiefspoiledthesitandanavythreequarterskirtcuttothestrideshowedoffherslimgracefulfiguretoperfection。
Sheworeacoquettishlittleloveofahatofwideleavedniggerstrawcontrasttrimmedwithanunderbrimofeggbluechenilleandatthesideabutterflybowtotone。AllTuesdayweekafternoonshewashuntingtomatchthatchenillebutatlastshefoundwhatshewantedatClery’ssummersales，theveryit，slightlyshopsoiledbutyouwouldnevernotice，sevenfingerstwoandapenny。Shediditupallbyherselfandwhatjoywasherswhenshetrieditonthen，smilingatthelovelyreflectionwhichthemirrorgavebacktoher！Andwhensheputitonthewaterjugtokeeptheshapesheknewthatthatwouldtaketheshineoutofsomepeoplesheknew。HershoeswerethenewestthinginfootwearEdyBoardmanpridedherselfthatshewasverypetitebutsheneverhadafootlikeGertyMacDowell，afive，andneverwouldash，oakorelmwithpatenttoecapsandjustonesmartbuckleatherhigharchedinstep。Herwellturnedankledisplayeditsperfectproportionsbeneathherskirtandjusttheproperamountandnomoreofhershapelylimbsencasedinfinespunhosewithhighsplicedheelsandwidegartertops。AsforundiestheywereGerty’schiefcareandwhothatknowstheflutteringhopesandfearsofsweetseventeenthoughGertywouldneverseeseventeenagaincanfinditinhishearttoblameher？Shehadfourdinkysets，withawfullyprettystitchery，threegarmentsandnightiesextra，andeachsetslottedwithdifferentcolouredribbons，rosepink，paleblue，mauveandpeagreenandsheairedthemherselfandbluedthemwhentheycamehomefromthewashandironedthemandshehadabrickbattokeeptheirononbecauseshewouldn’ttrustthosewasherwomenasfarasshe’dseethemscorchingthethings。Shewaswearingtheblueforluck，hopingagainsthope，herowncolourandtheluckycolourtooforabridetohaveabitofbluesomewhereonherbecausethegreensheworethatdayweekbroughtgriefbecausehisfatherbroughthimintostudyfortheintermediateexhibitionandbecauseshethoughtperhapshemightbeoutbecausewhenshewasdressingthatmorningshenearlyslippeduptheoldpaironherinsideoutandthatwasforluckandlovers’meetingsifyouputthosethingsoninsideoutsolongasitwasn’tofaFriday。
Andyetandyet！Thatstrainedlookonherface！Agnawingsorrowisthereallthetime。Herverysoulisinhereyesandshewouldgiveworldstobeintheprivacyofherownfamiliarchamberwhere，givingwaytotears，shecouldhaveagoodcryandrelieveherpentupfeelings。Thoughnottoomuchbecausesheknewhowtocrynicelybeforethemirror。Youarelovely，Gerty，itsaid。Thepalylightofeveningfallsuponafaceinfinitelysadandwistful。GertyMacDowellyearnsinvain。Yes，shehadknownfromthefirstthatherdaydreamofamarriagehasbeenarrangedandtheweddingbellsringingforMrsReggyWylieT。C。D。becausetheonewhomarriedtheelderbrotherwouldbeMrsWylieandinthefashionableintelligenceMrsGertrudeWyliewaswearingasumptuousconfectionofgreytrimmedwithexpensivebluefoxwasnottobe。Hewastooyoungtounderstand。Hewouldnotbelieveinlove，awoman’sbirthright。ThenightofthepartylongagoinStoers’
hewasstillinshorttrouserswhentheywerealoneandhestoleanarmroundherwaistshewentwhitetotheverylips。Hecalledherlittleoneinastrangelyhuskyvoiceandsnatchedahalfkissthefirst！butitwasonlytheendofhernoseandthenhehastenedfromtheroomwitharemarkaboutrefreshments。Impetuousfellow！StrengthofcharacterhadneverbeenReggyWylie’sstrongpointandhewhowouldwooandwinGertyMacDowellmustbeamanamongmen。Butwaiting，alwayswaitingtobeaskedanditwasleapyeartooandwouldsoonbeover。Noprincecharmingisherbeauidealtolayarareandwondrousloveatherfeetbutratheramanlymanwithastrongquietfacewhohadnotfoundhisideal，perhapshishairslightlyfleckedwithgrey，andwhowouldunderstand，takeherinhisshelteringarms，strainhertohiminallthestrengthofhisdeeppassionatenatureandcomfortherwithalonglongkiss。Itwouldbelikeheaven。Forsuchaonesheyearnsthisbalmysummereve。Withalltheheartofhershelongstobehisonly，hisaffiancedbrideforrichesforpoor，insicknessinhealth，tilldeathustwopart，fromthistothisdayforward。