Zona winced a little. She was in the habit of bringing fellows to her feet in a queenly way, and she dismissed them in the same queenly fashion after getting them there; but somehow all her arts had failed on Dick Merriwell, and it had angered her, although she kept the fact concealed.
She knew well enough why it was that Dick had suddenly cooled toward Doris, for she had taken special pains to show him that he was breaking in between Doris and Hal when he had no right to do so; but she did not know and could not understand why she had failed to win his regard to herself.
"Don’t talk like that, dear!" she exclaimed. "I’m not handsomer and more fascinating than you. You only think so. You’re so modest, Doris!"
Then she kissed her friend, but neither of them was happy. Zona felt that somehow she was guilty of doing something underhand, although she tried to justify the act by saying it was better for Dick to understand at the very start before he really came to care a great deal for Doris.
This day the girls had come out to witness the football practise. As Hal Darrell walked away from the vicinity of Lynch he saw them standing at the far side of the field, near the seats, and he started across to them.
CHAPTER XXVI.
FALSE SUSPICIONS.
Zona greeted Hal with a smile, but he observed that Doris scarcely observed his approach. Her eyes seemed to be fastened on a group of football-players holding a consultation at a distance. Dick Merriwell was in that group.
"Really and truly are you going to try it?" exclaimed Zona. "Oh, I didn’t think you would!"
"Didn’t I say so?" he demanded, forcing a smile, but keeping his eyes on Doris.
"Yes, but we thought you were just piqued then, Doris and I, and that you’d forget it."