enraptured with “yes,” or one to whom a regretful, beautifully worded, but
hopeless refusal must be given. If the latter, the refusal was to be expressed so
delicately that it would be next best thing to acceptance, and he would go away,
after kissing her hand, assuring her of his unalterable, life-long devotion. And it
would always be a beautiful memory, to be proud of and a little sad about, also.
And now, this thrilling experience had turned out to be merely grotesque.
Billy Andrews had got his sister to propose for him because his father had given
him the upper farm; and if Anne wouldn’t “have him” Nettie Blewett would.
There was romance for you, with a vengeance! Anne laughed—and then sighed.
The bloom had been brushed from one little maiden dream. Would the painful
process go on until everything became prosaic and hum-drum?