He was so utterly at sea that she had to bite her lip hard to keep from breaking into ringing laughter.
"Oh, I knew that you'd seen through it, Joe," she cried softly. "You see what an awful mess I've gotten into?"
He passed a hurried hand across his forehead and then looked at her searchingly. But he could not penetrate her pretense of concern.
"No matter what I think," said Joe Rix, "you come out with it frankly. I'll listen."
"As a friend, Joe?"
She managed to throw a plea into her voice that made Joe sigh.
"Sure. You've already said that I'm your friend, and you're right."
"I'm in terrible, terrible trouble! You know how it happened. I was a fool. I tried to play with Lord Nick. And now he thinks I was in earnest."
As though the strength of his legs had given way, Joe Rix slipped down into a chair.
"Go on," he said huskily. "You were playing with Lord Nick?"