ilure to answer his
letters, and how her aunt had refused to allow him to come to Brookford
to see them.

Mrs. Lancaster listened with interest.

"My dear, there was nothing in that. Yes, that was just one of Ferdy's
little lies," she said, in a sort of reverie.

"But it was so wicked in him to tell such falsehoods about a man,"
exclaimed Lois, her color coming and going, her eyes flashing.

Mrs. Lancaster shrugged her shoulders.

"Ferdy does not like Mr. Keith, and he does like you, and he probably
thought to prevent your liking him."

"I detest him."

The telltale color rushed up into her cheeks as Mrs. Lancaster's eyes
rested on her, and as it mounted, those blue eyes grew a little more
searching.

"I can scarcely bear to see him when he comes there," said Lois.

"Has he begun to go there again?" Mrs. Lancaster inquired, in some
surprise.

"Yes; and he pretends that he is coming to see me!" said the girl, with
a flash in her eyes. "You know that is not true?"

"Don't you believe him," said the other, gravely. Her eyes, as they
rested on the girl's face, had a very soft light in them.

"Well, we must make it up," she said presently. "You are going to Mrs.
Wickersham's?" she asked suddenly.

"Yes; Cousin Louise is going and says I must go. Mr. Wickersham will not
be there, you know."

"Yes." She drifted off into a reverie.

CHAPTER XXV

THE DINNER AT MRS. WICKERSHAM'S

Keith quickly discovered that Rumor was busy with Ferdy Wickersham's
name in other places than gilded drawing-rooms. He had been dropped from
the board of more than one big corporation in which he had once had a
potent influence. Knowing men, like Stirling and his club friends, began
to say that they did not see how he had kept up. But up-town he still
held on-held on with a steady eye and stony face that showed a nerve
worthy of a better man. His smile became more constant,--to be sure, It
was belied by his eyes: that cold gleam was not mirth,--but his voice
was as insolent as ever.

Several other rumors soon began to float about. One was that he and Mrs.
Wentworth had fallen out. As to the Cause of this the town was divided.
One story was that the pretty governess at Mrs. Wentworth's was in some
way concerned with it.

However this was, the Wickersham house was mortgaged, and Rumor began to
say even up-town that the Wickersham fortune had melted away.

The news of Keith's success in England had reached home as soon as he