Page:Leah Reed--Brenda's summer at Rockley.djvu/334

314 “Oh, Nora, how silly you are!” and with this thoroughly schoolgirlish and inconsequential remark Brenda tried to turn the young man’s attention from herself; for  she had felt her cheek reddening under his gaze.

“Now, choose,” he repeated, still balancing the plates impartially, “for I’m anxious to know what you get.”

“Why, we shall probably get nothing.”

“Well, at any rate, I wish to know that you have nothing,” and he stood there, smiling, while Brenda cut  her piece of cake with her fork.

“There certainly is something here,” she cried, breaking the thick slice in two to disclose—a small silver thimble.

“Aha!” and the young man laughed in what Brenda considered a thoroughly unfeeling way, “that means that  you will be an attractive spinster lady, and spend your  latter days in the quiet domestic pursuit of sewing. There, you ought to be much obliged to me!”

“I believe that you knew what was in it!” said Brenda, crossly.

Nora’s slice contained no treasure; but from the opposite corner, Julia and Miss South had a look of much amusement in their faces, and presently Julia held up a  ring, and a moment later she came over to her cousin to  tell her that the little golden circlet, which had been found  in Miss South’s slice, was supposed by the believer in signs  to indicate a speedy marriage; and then, as the girls  looked over toward the corner where Julia had left Miss  South, they saw cousin Edward Elston bending over her