Arlington stood still a moment as if turned to stone. Then he whirled and peered forth along the path toward the bridge.
Darrell had spoken the truth. In his eagerness and excitement Chester had not paused to obtain a good view of the girl with Merriwell, being convinced on seeing Zona that her companion must be Doris.
“Well, I’ll be blowed!” he growled, backing away. “I swear I thought it was Doris!”
Darrell stood looking at him, with an expression of supreme contempt on his face.
“Arlington,” he said, “you’re not only an ingrate, but you’re a liar and a sneak! That’s my opinion of you.”
“Be careful!” palpitated Chet, quivering with disappointment and rage. “I won’t stand that from any fellow!”
“You will have to stand it from me!” retorted Hal, in the same low tone. “You know it’s the truth, too! You have been lying about Merriwell, and now you play the spy upon him! Why, I thought you had reformed—and that you were going to be honorable and upright! Is this your honor? There is not a particle of decency in your miserable body! You don’t know what it is to be decent! You’re a disgrace to your sister and to your family! You are a disgrace to Fardale! I was a fool to take any stock in you and follow you here! I am ashamed of it! Here and now I quit you, and I want you to keep away from me at all times in the future!”
With that Hal turned his back on Chester and started to move away.
Shaking with rage, Arlington made two swift, silent steps and leaped on Hal’s back, grasping him by the throat and hurling him to the ground.
Hal made a desperate effort to turn on his assailant, and together they rolled over and over in the path until they came to the top of the slope, down which they plunged, crashing into the bushes at one side. Arlington’s hold was broken, but he continued fighting savagely.