While he listened to the sweet music of her voice, he mentally speculated as to what sort of a friendship, if any, could possibly exist between such a fair creature and J. Arthur Boast. Presently, looking up at Vance with her large blue eyes, she said:
“We may have company at the lake.”
“Why, how is that?” inquired Vance in some surprise.
“I received a note,” replied Louise, “from Bertha Allen, inviting me to go horseback riding to-day. In my reply I explained my previous engagement with you. Just before starting this morning I received a note from her saying that she and her cousin, Arthur Boast, would try to join our fishing party. Of course,” she said, with a sweet little laugh, “you do not know who Bertha Allen is. Bertha Allen,” she went on, “is Mr. Rufus Grim’s step-daughter. Mr. Grim married Mrs. Allen when Bertha was a girl in her early teens. Mrs. Allen is Colonel Boast’s sister, and Bertha and Arthur are, therefore, cousins.”
Vance did not fancy the prospect of meeting Boast, and felt that his happiness for the day would certainly be very incomplete if Boast was to be one of the fishing party.
“I have met Mr. Boast,” said Vance, with just a tinge of resentment in his voice.
“I hope you like him,” said Louise, as she turned her lovely face toward him with a pleading look in her eyes.
“May I ask you why you hope so?” asked Vance, in almost a defiant tone.
There was no maidenly blush on Louise’s cheeks as she replied with the simplicity of a child:
“Why, Mr. Gilder, there is hardly anybody that likes Arthur, and I sometimes feel sorry for him. Mr. Grim says very hard things about him, and no one seems to be his friend.”