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So the days wore away and she found herself watching as she had never watched before for marks of strength–mental, moral and physical. Over and over the words rang in her ears: “Never mind yourself–think of others.”

‘Twas the afternoon of Commencement Day and her room had many beautiful flowers. Tom’s bunch was of great American Beauty roses and the card had made her suddenly blush as she read it. But there had come in the mail a great bunch of beautiful forget-me-nots, all fresh with the dew in the grass. Who had sent them? She loved them the best of all the flowers in the room. There was no card to be found, so she tucked a few in her dress beneath the cap and gown and ran away to the chapel.

There on the steps stood a young man and his mother, and they were waiting for her.

“May, I want you to meet my mother, for I have told her so much about you. To get her to come, I had to drive all the way home to-day. But it is worth it, even if I did have to get up before the sun did. She is the very best mother in all the world,” said the boy, and he squeezed the arm of the timid little lady.

“Maybe! Maybe! I am so glad to meet you,” said the mother, “for I owe you much. You have helped Gene such a lot. I am sure he would never have been able to keep from smoking had it not been for you. He had promised me to try. Then when you told him you did not like it, why, we worked together, you see. And it has been so kind of you to go for the hikes when he has asked you, for you see he couldn’t have afforded to go to places that cost money, dear.”

May Langley opened her eyes wide. She had had no idea that she had been helping. To be sure, she had gone on many hikes with him after the geology class had thrown them together. And she had enjoyed it, too, for he was such good company. Always courteous, always hunting for ways to make the trip more worth while and always good natured, no matter what the weather, he had been a companion worth while.

So she stood and talked with the mother and son for a moment. How sweet the mother was and how proud he was of her! It was a joy to watch them.

Suddenly he spied the bit of forget-me-not.

“Ah,” he said, “I had nearly forgotten to speak of them. I passed a brook lined with them just before time for the mail train to pass the station, so I just hopped out of the car, emptied my lunch from the box and sent them to you. But I never dreamed you would get them in time to wear them. Maybe the little flowers will tell you that I am hoping you are going to remember our happy days here after we leave the campus. I want much to feel that you have a little interest in me. I have told mother much about you, for mother and I have no secrets. May I write to you sometimes?”

Just then the bell rang for the line to form and she hurried away, while he took his mother into the chapel. All afternoon they were busy and there was little time to think. But when May came to dress for the ball in the evening, she stood long before the flowers on the table. Then a sprig of the forget-me-not went into her hair and a bunch was fastened to her belt. And when he asked her for her answer as they stood on the veranda of the fraternity house, she said simply, “I have enjoyed the time spent with you; I am quite sure that I should like to know you better. You may write to me if you care to do so.”

But under her breath she was saying:

“Daddy Gray is right. The greatest test of a man is not what he might be to you, but what he is and will be to others. I’m quite sure Gene Powell can stand his test and mine also.”