He had been sent to ask Ellen to come into the parlor.
"My aunt is in the house," he said.
"Your aunt ?" "Yes, my aunt, Miss Lennox." Ellen gave a great start, and stared at him.

"Does she want to see me ?" she asked, abruptly.
Robert glanced at Granville.

He was afraid of being rude towards this possible lover, but the young man was quick to perceive the situation.
"I guess I must be going," he said to Ellen.
"Must you hurry ?" she returned, in the common, polite rejoinder of her class in Rowe.
"Yes, I guess I must," said Granville.

He held out his hand towards Ellen, then drew it away, but she extended hers resolutely, and so forced his back again.

"Good-night," she said, kindly, almost tenderly, and again Robert thought with that sinking at his heart that here was quite possibly the girl's lover, and all his dreams were thrown away.
As for Granville, he glowed with a sudden triumph over the other.
Again he became almost sure that Ellen loved him after all, that it was only her maiden shyness which had led her to refuse him.