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you see； occasionally it was the boy who had to bring the 'Dead Day；' as
there were times when he had to work。 And； by the way； perhaps you
would be interested to know that after a while he thought up a third flag to
answer her three waves。 He found an old black silk handkerchief of his
father's； and he made that into a flag。 He told the girl it meant 'I'm
heartbroken；' and he said it was a sign of the deepest mourning。 The girl
laughed and tipped her head saucily to one side； and said； 'Pooh！ as if you
really cared！' But the boy stoutly maintained his position； and it was that；
perhaps； which made her play the little joke one day。
〃The boy was fourteen that summer； and the girl thirteen。 They had
begun their signals years before； but they had not had the black one so
long。 On this day that I tell you of； the girl waved three waves； which
meant； 'Dead Day；' you remember； and watched until the boy had hoisted
his black flag which said； 'I'm heart…broken；' in response。 Then； as fast as
her mischievous little feet could carry her； she raced down one hill and
across to the other。 Very stealthily she advanced till she found the boy bent
over a puzzle on the back stoop； andand he was whistling merrily。
〃How she teased him then！ How she taunted him with 'Heart…broken；
indeedand whistling like that！' In vain he blushed and stammered； and
protested that his whistling was only to keep up his spirits。 The girl only
laughed and tossed her yellow curls； then she hunted till she found some
little jingling bells； and these she tied to the black badge of mourning and
pulled it high up on the flagpole。 The next instant she was off with a run
and a skip； and a saucy wave of her hand； and the boy was left all alone
with an hour's work ahead of him to untie the knots from his desecrated
badge of mourning。
〃And yet they were wonderfully good friendsthis boy and girl。 From
the very first； when they were seven and eight； they had said that they
would marry each other when they grew up； and always they spoke of it as
the expected thing； and laid many happy plans for the time when it should
come。 To be sure； as they grew older； it was not mentioned quite so often；
perhaps； but the boy at least thoughtif he thought of it allthat that was
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only because it was already so well understood。〃
〃What did the girl think？〃 It was Jill who asked the question。
〃Eh？ The girl？ Oh；〃 answered Mr。 Jack； a little bitterly； 〃I'm afraid I
don't know exactly what the girl did think； butit was n't that； anyhow
that is； judging from what followed。〃
〃What did follow？〃
〃Well； to begin with； the old aunt died。 The girl was sixteen then。 It
was in the winter that this happened； and the girl was far away at school。
She came to the funeral； however； but the boy did not see her； save in the
distance； and then he hardly knew her； so strange did she look in her black
dress and hat。 She was there only two days； and though he gazed wistfully
up at the gray tower； he knew well enough that of course she could not
wave to him at such a time as that。 Yet he had hopedalmost believed that
she would wave two waves that last day； and let him go over to see her。
〃But she didn't wave； and he didn't go over。 She went away。 And then
the town learned a wonderful thing。 The old lady； her aunt； who had been
considered just fairly rich； turned out to be the possessor of almost
fabulous wealth； owing to her great holdings of stock in a Western gold
mine which had suddenly struck it rich。 And to the girl she willed it all。 It
was then； of course； that the girl became the Princess； but the boy did not
realize thatjust then。 To him she was still 'the girl。'
〃For three years he did not see her。 She was at school； or traveling
abroad； he heard。 He； too； had been away to school； and was； indeed； just
ready to enter college。 Then； that summer； he heard that she was coming to
the old home； and his heart sang within him。 Remember； to him she was
still the girl。 He knew； of course； that she was not the LITTLE girl who
had promised to marry him。 But he was sure she was the merry comrade；
the true…hearted young girl who used to smile frankly into his eyes； and
whom he was now to win for his wife。 You see he had forgottenquite
forgotten about the Princess and the money。 Such a foolish； foolish boy as
he was！
〃So he got out his flags gleefully； and one day； when his mother wasn't
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in the kitchen； he ironed out the wrinkles and smoothed them all ready to
be raised on the pole。 He would be ready when the girl wavedfor of
course she would wave； he would show her that he had not forgotten。 He
could see just how the sparkle would come to her eyes； and just how the
little fine lines of mischief would crinkle around her nose when she was
ready to give that first wave。 He could imagine that she would like to find
him napping； that she would like to take him by surprise； and make him
scurry around for his flags to answer her。
〃But he would show her！ As if she； a girl； were to beat him at their old
game！ He wondered which it would be： 'I'm coming over；' or； 'You are to
come over here。' Whichever it was； he would answer； of course； with the
red 'All right。' Still； it WOULD be a joke to run up the blue 'Got to work；'
and then slip across to see her； just as she； so long ago； had played the joke
on him！ On the whole； however； he thought the red flag would be better。
And it was that one which he laid uppermost ready to his hand； when he
arranged them。
〃At last she came。 He heard of it at once。 It was already past four
o'clock； but he could not forbear； even then； to look toward the tower。 It
would be like her； after all； to wave then； that very night； just so as to
catch him napping； he thought。 She did not wave； however。 The boy was
sure of that； for he watched the tower till dark。
〃In the morning； long before eight o'clock； the boy was ready。 He
debated for some time whether to stand out of doors on the piazza； or to
hide behind the screened window； where he could still watch the tower。 He
decided at last that it would be better not to let her see him when she
looked toward the house； then his triumph would be all the more co