Damon and Pythias, the girls called them,
and never were two friends more closely united, with a simple,
true affection, which, however, had no trace of the consciousness
that one was a boy, the other a girl. Two boys could not have been
more free from sentimentality, two girls were never farther from
any suggestion of budding flirtation. They were just well-tried
friends of long standing; and when, after four weeks, Alan went
back into school again, his loyalty to Polly was, if possible,
increased by the knowledge of the good times she had given up for
his sake.
Aside from Alan's illness, the past weeks had brought to light
another cause for excitement. Aunt Jane was about to become the
second Mrs. Solomon Baxter. How, when, or where the fateful words
were spoken was never known. What powerful arguments Mr. Baxter
had brought to bear upon her, to overcome her aversion, to
domestic life, was never revealed. However, a week after Miss
Roberts had, in the presence of the children, addressed her guest
as "Solo--Mr. Baxter," she had taken her sister into her
confidence, and long before Alan was in school again, the matter
was publicly announced by Mr. Baxter's escorting her to church,
one Sunday morning, and marching up the aisle by her side, in full
view of the assembled congregation.
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