VII.

IN THE CANON.

_Miss Forsythe and Mr. Fairfax._

_Miss Forsythe._—Yes, of course. But ever since the great baseball game you have been one of Billy’s heroes, and—

_Mr. Fairfax._—_Billy’s?_

_Miss Forsythe._—Oh, I beg your pardon. “Poin,” I meant to say.

_Mr. Fairfax._—But why did you say “Billy”? And who is Billy? And why did you beg my pardon?

_Miss Forsythe._—Billy is my pet name for Poin. You know he went to Williams, and was so fond of it I called him Billy. Almost all my friends before that were Harvard men.

_Mr. Fairfax._—But why did you beg my pardon?

_Miss Forsythe._—I—Mr. Fairfax, forgive me if I hurt you, but I can only explain by telling you frankly that before you came, Mrs. Selbourne cautioned me—I don’t know why—against using that name before you. She said it held associations for you—and I thought—

_Mr. Fairfax._—You thought?

_Miss Forsythe._—That perhaps there was some one you had loved—and lost—

_Mr. Fairfax._—No; not that. I am inclined to think the associations are with some one I have loved and found. I will tell you that story some other day. Meantime, you were saying—?