“Not lately,” replied the girl, a trifle resentful that he should obtrude upon her private affairs.
“I only ask because—well, because there are some jolly queer stories going about town of him.”
“Queer stories!” she echoed quickly. “What are they? What do people say?”
“Oh! They say lots of extraordinary things. I think your mother has done very well to drop him.”
“Has mother dropped him?” asked the girl in pretence of ignorance.
“She told me so last night, and I was extremely glad to hear it—though he is your friend. It seems that he’s hardly the kind of fellow you should know, Dorise.”
“Why do you say that?” his companion asked, her eyes flashing instantly.
“What! Haven’t you heard?”
“Heard what?”
“The story that’s going round the clubs. He’s missing, and has been so for quite a long time. You haven’t seen him—have you?”