And Daryl had been strangely quiet and troubled all the evening. It was not alone apprehension for her beloved brother, she must be concerned for the guest also, whom she had said would likely get here around supper time. And there hadn’t been a mention of him. She had not seen Daryl even looking out the window since Ruth arrived. Could it be that she had forgotten him?

She cast a furtive, questioning looking toward her girl, but could not be sure just what her expression portended. Was her look just a polite attempt to put aside all her cares and worries and entertain Ruth, or did it hide deep pain and worry? She could not tell. If it was acting she certainly was doing it well.

So the mother thought the matter over and carefully arranged a casually pleasant look on her own face before she broached the subject the next time Daryl came to the china closet with her arms full of dishes.

“Oh, Daryl,” she said, as if she had just thought of the matter, “Harold hasn’t come yet. Didn’t you expect him before this time? He may get here about the time the boys get back.” Strange how she had slipped into saying “the boys,” including that stranger, and couldn’t quite take this other young man into so intimate a place. “Hand me another plate and cup and saucer. We’ll need to set the table for three, of course. I’ve been so upset by all that’s been happening that I can’t count straight anymore.”

Daryl paused and looked at her mother, a stricken expression in her eyes.

“No!” she said shortly. “Harold isn’t coming.”

“Why, what do you mean, dear? Why isn’t he coming? How did you find out?”

“He telephoned!” answered the girl shortly. “He’s going somewhere else! His boss invited him and he thought he ought to go.”

There wasn’t a particle of expression in her face, just that stricken look in her eyes. It seemed as if she had come a long way and got used to the barrenness of it, since she knew.

But the mother’s voice was all compassion and disapproval.

“He went somewhere else when he had promised to be with us! When he knew how much you had counted upon it? He deliberately did that and didn’t let you know till the last minute?” Her eyes were flashing indignation.

But Daryl’s voice was cool, as if she had prepared herself for this. As if these words were some that she had been feeding to her disappointed heart for several hours.

“I don’t know that he deliberately did it,” said Daryl with something hard in her tone. “It seems the other party just happened along, and he was swept with the tide.” There was something almost contemptuous in the way she said it. Her mother gave her a quick, keen look. Did that mean that her girl had been suddenly disillusioned? No, nothing so final as that. A real disillusionment clears the sky usually and heals the hurt. Still this thing, whatever it was, had only just happened.

“My dear,” said her mother tenderly, hesitantly, “don’t make the mistake of being too hard on him. There may be more to it than appears on the surface. You must be fair to people. And then you know the storm is really very bad! Anyone would be excused for not going far in it.”

“It’s not so bad but that my brother went out in it, is it?” said Daryl, and now her voice was really bitter.

“Yes, but there was a very serious reason.”

“Well, isn’t a girl—a girl one is supposed to—care for, a serious reason? If she isn’t, then what is she? Why should she bother?”

Her mother looked at her for a long moment and then she said slowly, thoughtfully, “Well, I sometimes wonder!”

Then she roused herself and looked pitifully toward her child.

“Don’t worry about it, dear! You know it may come out all right in the morning! He may turn up bright and early when the storm is over.”

Daryl looked at her mother gravely.

“That’s nice of you, Mother, when you don’t really like him. I appreciate it, but it wouldn’t make any difference if he did. The damage is done.”

“But Daryl, dear! That’s not fair to him! You mustn’t be unforgiving. And besides, when he explains—”

“He couldn’t explain it all,” said the girl with tears in her voice. “He’s spoiled Christmas, that’s all, and it can’t be fixed up. You don’t understand, I know, and I don’t want to talk about it tonight. But Christmas is spoiled.”

“One man can’t spoil Christmas, Daryl! That isn’t possible. Christmas is bigger than that.