"I think Matthew has some grudge against Fred," she replied, evading a direct answer.
"I should think he must have, and for what, I wonder?"
"Fred could tell you all about it, I think, if you would have him call this evening," said Nellie artfully, both to save further questioning and to have a pretext for inviting him to call. "He may know something about this paper."
"I think that would be the best plan," said Mrs. Dutton.
"Perhaps it would," answered her husband.
"I will write him a note, then, asking him to call this evening," ventured Nellie.
Her father nodded assent. This gave her a thrill of pleasure. At last she could invite Fred to call and could surprise him with the facts she had in her possession.
During the afternoon Fred received a neatly written note from Nellie, simply asking him to call that evening. It was so brief, and so entirely unexpected, he was puzzled to know what it meant. At any rate, he was delighted at the thought of seeing his friend once more, and in her own home, too—let her object be what it would.
He concluded, after much speculation, that it must be favorable, for he could not possibly imagine why she should want him to call if it were otherwise.
They had hardly met since the night of the party, when they parted company at her home after a most enjoyable evening. Then each felt more than an ordinary regard for the friendship of the other, and doubtless little imagined that it would be so suddenly broken in upon by the suspicious circumstances that speedily surrounded Fred. This, together with De Vere's efforts to establish himself in Nellie's good opinion, had separated them.