“When she was at Spirit Lake, where she said she met him. She wrote about the engagement from there.”
“Yes,” said Lorna; “and do you remember what was going on here in Riverbank just before she went on vacation?”
“I don't remember.”
“Don't tell me you don't remember how Carter Bruce was rushing you then!” scoffed Lorna. “I remember perfectly well that Henrietta and I agreed you and Carter would be engaged before the summer ended.”
“Oh, Carter Bruce!” admitted Gay. “Of course, he was fussing around. He is always fussing around. Or was.”
“Yes, and we thought he was going to steal you, Gay. Well—that's the answer!”
“You mean—”
“Of course! Henrietta just couldn't stand having you engaged when she was not. So she invented Billy Vane while she was at Spirit Lake, and told us he had gone out to Colorado, where he would be out of the way.”
“But who writes her the letters from Colorado?”
“How do I know? She may have a brother out there. That is easy. She would have dear Bill go wherever there was some one who could write her a letter now and then. And Henrietta does the rest. It is n't so impossible when you think of it that way, is it? After she had invented dear Bill it was natural enough that she should keep him alive and interested, when we were so interested.”