Young Lloyd handed her the roll of valedictory as soon as he entered.
"I am very much obliged to you for allowing me to read it," he said.
Ellen took it, blushing.

Her heart sank a little.

She thought to herself that he probably did not like it.

She looked at him proudly and timidly, like a child half holding, half withdrawing its hand for a sweet.

It suddenly came to her that she would rather this young man would praise her valedictory than any one else, that if he had been present when she read it in the hall, and she had seen him standing applauding, she could not have contained her triumph and pride.