Produced by Pat Castevans and David Widger
By Winston Churchill
The next morning Cynthia's heart was heavy as she greeted her new friendsat Miss Sadler's school. Life had made a woman of her long ago, whilethese girls had yet been in short dresses, and now an experience had cometo her which few, if any, of these could ever know. It was of no use forher to deny to herself that she loved Bob Worthington—loved him with thefull intensity of the strong nature that was hers. To how many of thesegirls would come such a love? and how many would be called upon to makesuch a renunciation as hers had been? No wonder she felt out of placeamong them, and once more the longing to fly away to Coniston almostovercame her. Jethro would forgive her, she knew, and stretch out hisarms to receive her, and understand that some trouble had driven her tohim.
She was aroused by some one calling her name—some one whose voicesounded strangely familiar. Cynthia was perhaps the only person in theschool that day who did not know that Miss Janet Duncan had entered it.Miss Sadler certainly knew it, and asked Miss Duncan very particularlyabout her father and mother and even her brother. Miss Sadler knew, evenbefore Janet's unexpected arrival, that Mr. and Mrs. Duncan had come toBoston after Christmas, and had taken a large house in the Back Bay inorder to be near their son at Harvard. Mrs. Duncan was, in fact, aBostonian, and more at home there than at any other place.
Miss Sadler observed with a great deal of astonishment the warm embracethat Janet bestowed on Cynthia. The occurrence started in Miss Sadler atrain of thought, as a result of which she left the drawing-room wherethese reunions were held, and went into her own private study to write anote. This she addressed to Mrs. Alexander Duncan, at a certain number onBeacon Street, and sent it out to be posted immediately. In the meantime,Janet Duncan had seated herself on the sofa beside Cynthia, not havingfor an instant ceased to talk to her. Of what use to write a romance,when they unfolded themselves so beautifully in real life! Here was thecountry girl she had seen in Washington already in a fine way to becomethe princess, and in four months! Janet would not have thought itpossible for any one to change so much in such a time. Cynthia listened,and wondered what language Miss Duncan would use if she knew how greatand how complete that change had been. Romances, Cynthia thought sadly,were one thing to theorize about and quite another thing to endure—andsmiled at the thought. But Miss Duncan had no use for a heroine without aheartache.
It is not improbable that Miss Janet Duncan may appear with Miss SallyBroke in another volume. The style of her conversation is known, andthere is no room to reproduce it here. She, too, had a heart, but she wasa young woman given to infatuations, as Cynthia rightly guessed. Cynthiamust spend many afternoons at her house—lunch with her, drive with her.For one omission Cynthia was thankful: she did not mention BobWorthington's name. There was the romance under Miss Duncan's nose, andshe did not see it. It is frequently so with romancers.
Cynthia's impassiveness, her complete poise, had fascinated Miss Duncanwith the others. Had there been nothing beneath that exterior, Janetwould never have guessed it, and she would have been quite as happy.Cynthia saw very clearly that Mr. Worthington or no other man or womancould force Bob to marry Janet.
The next morning, in such intervals as her studies permitted, Janetcontinued her attentions to Cyn