"He told me."
Lily looked into the frank, gray eyes in horror unutterable. The crash had come. The last feeble hope that her brother might come to his senses and marry this girl was ended forever.
"How—could he!" she stammered, outraged. "How could he tell—tell you—"
"Because he and I are old and close friends, Lily…. And will remain so, God willing."
Lily was crying freely now.
"He had no business to tell you. He knows perfectly well what his father and mother think about it and what I think. He can't marry her! He shall not. It is too cruel—too wicked—too heartless! And anyway—she promised me not to marry him—"
"What!"
Lily brushed the tears from her eyes, heedless now of how much Stephanie might learn.
"I wrote her—I went to see her in behalf of my own family as I had a perfect right to. She promised me not to marry Louis."
"Does Louis know this?"