"Well, of all the idiots!" he exclaimed. "You ought to be horsewhipped for insulting a young lady so. Can't you see, you young madman, that she's just trying to show a little bit of polite gratitude? I know I don't deserve it, but she seems to be as grateful to me for helping you that night on the lake, and you must be a fool if you think anything else."
The young man walked on for a little in silence. Then he said, in quite a changed tone, "Are you sure, Rod?"
"Yes, of course," shouted Roderick, "you ought to be shut up in a mad house for thinking anything else."
"Well, she told everybody in the town last fall that I upset her, just to give you the glory," he said resentfully.
"Pshaw," cried Roderick disgustedly. "She did it for pure fun, and you ought to have taken it that way. You don't deserve her for a friend."
Fred seemed to be pondering this for a while, and finally he said, "Well, maybe you're right. Only I—well, you know how I feel about Leslie. She—we've been chums ever since we were kids, and you may be sure I don't like the idea of any other fellow cutting in ahead of me now."
"Well, wait till some fellow does before you jump on him again," said Roderick, so hotly that the other grew apologetic.
"I didn't mean to be such a jay, Rod. It's all right if you say so. I guess I was crazy. If you just give me your word that you haven't intentions towards her, why, it'll be all right."
Roderick gave the assurance with all his heart, and Fred insisted upon shaking hands over it, and they parted on the best of terms.
But Roderick felt covered with shame when he found himself alone on the Pine Road. He could not deny to his heart that Fred's suspicions had some little reason in them, and the knowledge filled him with dismay. He was humiliated by the thought that he had accepted many favours from Leslie's father and been a welcome guest many, many times at her home, and he wondered miserably if Helen Murray held the same opinion as Fred.