Larry felt that it was his duty to speak to Major Lawrence of his intention, but the fierce denunciation of the Baldwins by the major had caused him to delay the announcement and when, after dinner, he had completed his toilet, while Krag rolled upon the bed and made facetious remarks and guesses as to the identity of his inamorata, the major had driven away to a distant part of the ranch, Larry, taking a light runabout wagon drove straight toward Rogue River ranch, secretly relieved at having escaped the ordeal.
He had expected, and rather dreaded, meeting Harry Baldwin or his father, but after the brown boy had taken charge of his horse, he was greeted by Helen Baldwin, who invited him to sit with her on the wide veranda of the rather pretentious house.
“I invited you to come this evening,” she laughed, “because Uncle Barney and Cousin Harry have gone to Portland and I feared it might be embarrassing to you to meet them.”
“That was thoughtful,” he replied, smiling. “I’m afraid I might not be considered a welcome guest.”
“I was thinking of myself, too,” she laughed. “Harry would be furious if he knew you were calling on me. He seems to think he is my guardian.”
They chatted for a time of school, of the events of commencement week, and finally the conversation turned to athletics.
“I was so disappointed at not seeing you play with Cascade,” she said brightly. “I was there with a crowd of the academy girls. I told them I had a friend on the team, and we all wore Cascade colors, excepting Sue. She knows a man who plays on Golden, so she wore his colors. We looked all over the field for you. Why didn’t you play?”
“I am off the team,” he remarked, striving to avoid the subject. “I was sitting in the stands. I saw you, but you were way across the field and there was such a jam I could not reach you to speak to you.”
“I don’t understand,” she persisted. “Harry said you would not play, but you said you would. Did you let him play because I asked you to do it?”
“No,” he said. “I intended to play, but they would not let me.”