"Then why not go yourself—and get the facts?"
"Wallace didn't ask me."
There was something in the tone of his reply that brought the blood to her cheeks. She replied to it by making her own tone a little chiding. "But as my boy's oldest friend," she reminded.
Farvel laughed. "Friend?" he repeated. "He's more like a younger brother to me. But that doesn't warrant my intruding on him, does it?"
Mrs. Milo lifted her eyebrows. "I hope," she commented, with something of that same sorrowful intonation which characterized the speech of Dora, "—I hope there's no reason why you shouldn't meet this Crosby girl."
Farvel stared at her. "I?" he demanded, too astonished by her daring to be angry. "Why—why——"
At this juncture the library door opened and Dora entered, to set the room to rights apparently, for she gave a critical look about, arranged the writing-desk, and put a chair in place.
"Dora," said Mrs. Milo, "you saw Miss Susan?"
Dora lifted pale eyes. "Oh, yes," she answered, "but only a fleeting glimpse."
"Glimpse?" repeated Mrs. Milo, startled.