Miss Ponsonby was breathless with terror . She was sure every footstep she heard behind her was her father 's in pursuit . She almost fainted on the spot when a belated man came tearing along the street . Jerry and I breathed a sigh of devout thanksgiving when we found ourselves safely in the Hubbard parlour . We were early , but Stephen Shaw was there before us . He came up to us at once , and just then Miss Ponsonby turned around . `` Alicia ! '' he said . `` How do you do , Stephen ? '' she said tremulously . And there he was looking down at her with an expression on his face that none of the Glenboro girls he had been calling on had ever seen . Jerry and I just simply melted away . We can see through grindstones when there are holes in them ! We went out and sat down on the stairs . `` There 's a mystery here , '' said Jerry , `` but Miss Ponsonby shall explain it to us before we let her climb up that acacia tree tonight . Now that I come to think of it , the first night he called he asked me about her . Wanted to know if her father were the same old blustering tyrant he always was , and if we knew her at all . I 'm afraid I made a little mild fun of her , and he did n't say anything more . Well , I 'm awfully glad now that I did n't fall in love with him . I could have , but I would n't . ''
Miss Ponsonby 's appearance XXXXX the Hubbards ' party was the biggest sensation Glenboro had had for years .
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