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"Of course We've always trusted each other, haven't we?"

"Yeah, yeah" he said, just hating any reference Ilike brother and sister, if not close cousins "I don't mean that keep-a-secret kid stuff"

"What do you mean Harley?"

"I ht when you told me what had happened to you I know I should have been most upset about what he had done, but what botheredyou went for a ith another boy at night You thought you ht have a nice summer romance, didn't you?" he asked in a very accusatory tone of voice

"Harley Arnold," I said growing indignant "I don't see how that's your business"

"Of course it is," he said "I was hoping you and I would have had the suone on into the fall and long after that," he blurted "Sorry," he quickly added before I could speak "Sorry I bothered you Sorry I bother everybody," he muttered and started quickly away

"Harley!" I called after hi inside

And they say girls are hard to understand I thought

I went back into the house and up to my room where I stood by theand looked for him in the darkness below I didn't see hi

He didn't come by the next day, but the afternoon after that Harley joined Mo us do needlepoint He said "Hi" and Moave hi He and Molanced at me occasionally but I concentrated on my needlepoint Finally, he said, he had heard froes to which he had made a late application

I looked up expectantly, but he didn't add anything

"Well, Harley Arnold," I finally said 'don't just sit there keeping us guessing What did they say?"

"They said I could come around and learn some stuff, if I wanted"

"What?"

"That's wonderful, Harley," Mommy said