“IhopeI’llbealivewhenshereturns，“saidClaudegloomily。
NaturallyhehadalittlemoretimetogivetoNinaandherremarkabledoings，whichhadsetthewholeneighborhoodtowondering“whathadcomeoverthegirl。“
Shenolongerworkedinthefield。Shedressedbetter，andhadtakentogoingtothemostfashionablechurchintown。Shewasawomantransformed。Nothingwasabletopreventhersteadyprogressionandbloom。ShegrewplumperandfairerandbecamesomuchmoreattractivethattheyoungGermansthickenedroundher，andoneortwoYankeeboyslookedherway。ThroughitallClaudekeptuphishalf-humorousbanterandaltogetherseriousdailyadvice，withoutoncerealizingthatany-thingsentimentalconnectedhimwithitall。Heknewshelikedhim，andsometimeshefeltalittleannoyedbyherattemptstopleasehim，butthatshewasdoingallthatshedidandorderingherwholelifetopleasehimneverenteredhisself-sufficienthead。
Therewasn’tmuchroomleftinthatheadforanyoneelseexceptLucindy，andhisplansforwiningher。Planashemight，hesawnowayofmakingmorethanthetwodollarsadayhewasearningasacreamcollector。
ThingsranalongthusfromweektoweektillitwasnearlytimeforLucindytoreturn。ClaudewashavinghistopbuggyrepaintedandwaspreparingforavigorouscampaignwhenLucindyshouldbeathomeagain。Heownedhisteamandwagonandthebuggy-nothingmore。