"I hate you, Chester Jessup. I hate, hate, HATE you. And I'm going to go
back," she said, tearfully.
The elopers had never reached Hoboken. Mildred refused to leave the
ferry-boat and Chester did not urge her. It bore them back to the New
York side. Their flight to Gretna Green was a failure.
"You take me right home, do you hear?" cried Mildred.
"We can get the 3:59 from the Grand Central," said Chester in an icy
voice. "That will get you home in time for supper."
"Chester Jessup, you're a nasty, heartless boy to mention supper to me
when I'm in this condition," said Mildred.
They made the trip from New York back to Clintonia in silence. Chester,
watching the scenery flow by, was thinking deeply. He was wondering at
what age young men are admitted to monasteries. He left Mildred at her
house.
"Good night, Mr. Jessup," she said, coolly.
"Good night, Miss Wrigley," said Chester, and stalked home.
"Where have you been all day?" demanded his mother.
"Oh, just around," said Chester.
"Why weren't you home for lunch?"
"I wasn't hungry," said Chester.
"And we had the best things, too. Just what you like--chicken salad with
mayonnaise, and deep-dish huckleberry pie."
Chester shivered. "I don't think I'll take any supper to-night," he
said.
"Why, what ails you, anyhow?" asked his mother, solicitously. "We're
going to have such a nice supper. Your father brought home a couple of
lobsters. And afterward we're going to have pistache ice-cream, and
lady-fingers."
"Good Heavens, Mother, I guess I know when I'm not hungry. There are
other things in life besides food, aren't there?"
"Like being in love, for example?" suggested his sister Hilda.
"I'm not in love," declared Chester, vehemently.
"How would you like to have me tell Mildred Wrigley you said that?"
asked Hilda.
"I just wish you would," said Chester, "I just wish you would."
"By the way," remarked Mr. Jessup, "I met Tom Wrigley to-day and he said
he was sending that girl of his off to boarding school at Simpson Hall."
"Oh, is he?" said Mrs. Jessup. "Chester, did you hear what your father
said?"
"Yes, I did," said Chester, "and all I can say is that I hope she gets
enough to eat."