“Most beautiful girl that lives,” returned Joe, with enthusiasm.
“I guess she’s stopped worrying about——” began Reggie, and then checked himself as though he had said more than he intended to.
“Worrying about what?” asked Joe, with the quick apprehension of a lover.
“Oh, about—about things in general,” replied Reggie, in some confusion and evading Joe’s searching eyes.
“Look here, Reggie,” said Joe with decision. “If anything’s worrying Mabel, I’ve got a right to know what it is. I’ve noticed lately that she seemed to have something on her mind. Come now, out with it.”
Reggie still tried to put him off, but Joe would have none of it.
“I’ve got to know, Reggie,” he declared. “You’ve simply got to tell me.”
Reggie pondered a moment.
“Well, old top,” he said at last, “I suppose you have a right to know, and perhaps it’s best that you should know. The fact is that Mabel got a letter a little while ago telling her that it would be a sorry day for her if she ever married Joe Matson. Threatened all sorts of terrible things against you, don’t y’know.”
“What!” cried Joe, wild with rage and leaping to his feet. “The scoundrel! The coward! Who signed that letter? What’s his name? If I ever lay my hands on him, may heaven have mercy on him, for I won’t!”