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 "Oh, Laurie!" exclaimed Mae in vast disappointment. Polly, though, only laughed.

"Don't be silly, Mae," she said. "Of course he's only fooling. You ought to know Laurie well enough to know that he isn't going to give up as easily as all that. I'll just bet you anything he knows this very minute what he means to do. Only he doesn't want to tell us yet."

"I don't, either," protested Laurie vehemently. "Look here, this isn't any affair of mine, and—and—"

"Just what I told him," said Mrs. Deane agreeably. "I think he's been very nice to take such an interest and so much trouble, but I'm sure he can't be expected to do any more, Polly."

Polly smiled serenely. She shared the smile between her mother and a disquieted Laurie. Then she slipped an arm around Mae and gave her a squeeze. "We know, don't we, Mae?" she asked.

Laurie stared helplessly for a moment. Then he seized Ned by the arm and dragged him toward the door. "Come on," he said despairingly. "Come on home!"