fter and more musical as she spoke his name; to feel that she was in
sympathy with him, that she understood him without explanation, that she
was interested in his work: these were the rewards which lit up life for
him and sent him to his rooms cheered and refreshed. He knew that she
had no idea of taking him otherwise than as a friend. She looked on him
almost as a contemporary of her father. But life was growing very sweet
for him again.

It was not long before the truth was presented to him.

One of his club friends rallied him on his frequent visits in a certain
quarter and the conquest which they portended. Keith flushed warmly. He
had that moment been thinking of Lois Huntington. He had just been to
see her, and her voice was still in his ears; so, though he thought it
unusual in Tom Trimmer to refer to the matter, it was not unnatural. He
attempted to turn the subject lightly by pretending to misunderstand
him.

"I mean, I hear you have cut Wickersham out. Ferdy thought he had a
little corner there."

Again Keith reddened. He, too, had sometimes thought that Ferdy was
beginning to be attentive to Lois Huntington. Others manifestly
thought so too.

"I don't know that I understand you," he said.

"Don't you?" laughed the other. "Haven't you seen the papers lately?"

Keith chilled instantly.

"Norman Wentworth is my friend," he said quietly.

"So they say is Mrs. Norm--" began Mr. Trimmer, with a laugh.

Before he had quite pronounced the name, Keith leaned forward, his eyes
levelled right into the other's.

"Don't say that, Trimmer. I want to be friends with you," he said
earnestly. "Don't you ever couple my name with that lady's. Her husband
is my friend, and any man that says I am paying her any attention other
than such as her husband would have me pay her says what is false."

"I know nothing about that," said Tom, half surlily. "I am only giving
what others say."

"Well, don't you even do that." He rose to his feet, and stood very
straight. "Do me the favor to say to any one you may hear intimate such
a lie that I will hold any man responsible who says it."

"Jove!" said Mr. Trimmer, afterwards, to his friend Minturn, "must be
some fire there. He was as hot as pepper in a minute. Wanted to fight
any one who mentioned the matter. He'll have his hands full if he fights
all who are talking about him and Ferdy's old flame. I heard half a
roomful buzzing about it at Mrs. Nailor's. But it was none o