Page:George Weston--The apple-tree girl.djvu/99

 to come around bothering me like this."

And though, even then, she wouldn't put her thought into words, if you could have looked deep down into her mind, and have lifted the veil of modesty which you would have found there, you would have come to one of those secret places which all of us keep hidden in the depths of our consciousness—and in that secret place of Charlotte's mind you would have found this unphrased thought burning ever so brightly, ever so impishly: "I'm going to pretend he's a millionaire—and practice on him!"

"Don't you want to take the children home in your car?"

Fourteen bright eyes turned upon the young physician, and the fire of hope flared high in seven young hearts.

"I'd rather take you home," he bluntly replied.

Charlotte tried that difficult shot again. "You can come back for me," she said.