His plans, however, quickly met with the discouragement and downfall inevitable from the beginning. At first he tried strategy, and Hal, in a good-tempered, careless way, merely listened, while easily avoiding any encounter.
Then Dudley went a step too far.
“I have to be out three evenings this week, so I asked Doris Hayward to come and keep you company, as I thought you might be dull.”
“You asked Doris to come and keep me company!” repeated Hal, quite taken aback.
“Yes; why not? She is such a nice girl, and just your age. I can’t think why you are not greater friends.”
“It’s pretty apparent,” with a little curl of her lips.
“We haven’t anything in common: that’s all.”
“But why haven’t you? You can’t possibly know if you never meet. She seems such a far more sensible friend for you than Lorraine Vivian,” with a shade of irritation.
“Probably that is exactly why I don’t want her friendship,” with a light laugh.
“But you might try to be reasonable just once in a way. Try to be friendly tomorrow evening.”