"For Heaven's sake!" said Evan, "I know that guy. Let's call them in."
Opening the front door he shouted:
"Hey, come on up and see us!"
Frankie hesitated, but her brave escort insisted and she walked shamefacedly toward Nelson's home. Evan allowed himself a few moments of rash merriment which greatly surprised his mother and sister. His strange actions were justified—if the women had only known! The chap who stepped in with Frankie was Porter Perry.
Acting on manners he had learned somewhere, the Bonehead grabbed Evan's hand before the latter had a chance to greet Frankie.
"Where on earth did you come from?" asked Evan.
"Oh, I left your bank," said Porter, importantly, "because they paid such bad salaries. Then the U—— moved me here."
Frankie distracted Evan's attention.
"How are you, Frank?" he said, feeling mean as he took her little hand and saw her blushing face.
"Just the same old way," she replied bravely; "you have changed an awful lot though——"