He smoked for a time in reflective silence.

“What’s the girl like?” he enquired, presently.  “Is she attractive?”

“Sufficiently so to fascinate Arthur Weldon.  Moreover, she has just been introduced in our set, and knows nothing of your shady past history.  Even if rumors came to her ears, young creatures of her sort often find a subtle charm in a man accused of being ‘naughty.’”

“Humph!”

“If you win her, you get a wife easily managed and a splendid fortune to squander as you please.”

“Sounds interesting, Di, doesn’t it?  But—­”

“In regard to preliminary expenses,” she interrupted, calmly, “I have said that your reward will be ample when you have won the game.  But meantime I am willing to invest the necessary funds in the enterprise.  I will allow you a thousand a month.”  “Bah! that’s nothing at all!” said he, contemptuously, as he flicked the ashes from his cigarette.

“What do you demand, then?”

“Five hundred a week, in advance.  It’s an expensive job, Di.”

“Very well; I will give you five hundred a week; but only as long as you work earnestly to carry out the plot.  I shall watch you, Charlie.  And you must not lose sight of the ultimate reward.”

“I won’t, my sweet cousin.  It’s a bargain,” he said, readily enough.  “When do I begin, and what’s the program?”

“Draw your chair nearer,” said Diana, restraining her triumphant joy.  “I’ll explain everything to you in detail.  It will be my part to plan, and yours to execute.”

“Good!” he exclaimed, with a cheerful grin.  “I feel like an executioner already!”

CHAPTER VIII

OPENING THE CAMPAIGN

Louise’s little romance, which now began to thrive vigorously, was regarded with calmness by her cousins and her mother, who knew of the former episode between her and Arthur and attached little importance to the renewed flirtation in which they indulged.  That they were deceived in their estimate was due to the girl’s reputation for frivolity where young men were concerned.  She had been dubbed a “flirt” ever since she first began to wear long dresses, and her nature was not considered deep enough for her heart to be ever seriously affected.  Therefore the young girl was gravely misjudged.

Louise was not one to bare her heart, even to her most intimate friends, and no one now suspected that at last her deepest, truest womanly affections were seriously involved.  The love for Arthur that had lain dormant in her heart was aroused at a time when she was more mature and capable of recognizing truly her feelings, so that it was not long before she surrendered her reserve and admitted to him that life would mean little for her unless they might pass the years together.  For his part, young Weldon sincerely loved Louise, and had never wavered from his firm devotion during all the past months of misunderstanding.