Bertie, at his club, heard the rumor, and dashed off in search of Fitz.
He found him seated moodily and dreamily in an easy-chair at the smoking-room of his favorite haunt.
"Ha, Fitz," he exclaimed, "is it true?"
"What?" said Fitz, flushing. "What have you heard? Don't say it's too good to be true; don't cast me down, old fellow; you don't know how my heart is set upon it!" he exclaimed, thinking that Bertie alluded to the understanding between Violet and him.
"What do you mean?"
"What do you?" asked Fitz.
"Why, this—this—false report that—that Ethel is to be married to that odious fellow, that miserable young money-bag?"
"I can't say I've heard," said Fitz, frowning earnestly. "If I thought that there was anything in it, I'd go for my big whip and thrash him!"
At that moment a waiter put a letter into his hand.
He opened it, and his face grew red with indignation.