“I’m not doing any more than usual,” said Dot, still intent upon the drain of tea in her cup.

“Well, it’s too much for you anyway, and I’m going to put a stop to it.”

“Do you know how to read your fortune in tea leaves?” said Dot.

“No,” said Bertie.  With a very gentle hand he deprived her of this engrossing pastime.  “I want you to attend to me for a minute,” he said.

Dot snuggled against him with a very winning gesture.  “I don’t want to, Bertie, unless you can find something more interesting to talk about.  Really, there is nothing wrong with me.  Tell me about Luke.  Why is he worrying?”

Bertie frowned.  “He doesn’t say so, but I believe he’s bothered about Nap.  Heaven knows why he should be.  He was supposed to go to Arizona, but he didn’t turn up there.  As a matter of fact, if he never turned up again anywhere it would be about the best thing that could possibly happen.”

“Oh, don’t, Bertie!” Dot spoke sharply, almost involuntarily.  There was a quick note of pain in her voice.  “I don’t like you to talk like that.  It isn’t nice of you to be glad he’s gone, and—­it’s downright horrid to want him to stay away for ever.”

“Good heavens!” said Bertie.

He was plainly amazed, and she resented his amazement, feeling that in some fashion it placed her in a false position from which she was powerless to extricate herself.  The last thing she desired was to take up the cudgels on Nap’s behalf, nevertheless she prepared herself to do so as in duty bound.  For Nap was a friend, and Dot’s loyalty to her friends was very stanch.

“I mean it,” she said, sitting up and facing him.  “I don’t think it’s right of you, and it certainly isn’t kind.  He doesn’t deserve to be treated as an outcast.  He isn’t such a bad sort after all.  There is a whole lot of good in him, whatever people may say.  You at least ought to know him better.  Anyhow, he is a friend of mine, and I won’t hear him abused.”

Bertie’s face changed while she was speaking, grew stern, grew almost implacable.

“Look here,” he said plainly, “if you want to know what Nap is, he’s a damned blackguard, not fit for you to speak to.  So, if you’ve no objection, we’ll shunt him for good and all!”

It was Dot’s turn to look amazed.  She opened her eyes to their widest extent.  “What has he done?”

“Never mind!” said Bertie.

“But I do mind!” Swiftly indignation swamped her surprise.  “Why should I shunt him, as you call it, for no reason at all?  I tell you frankly, Bertie, I simply won’t!”

Her eyes were very bright as she ended.  She sat bolt upright obviously girded for battle.

Bertie also looked on the verge of an explosion, but with a grim effort he restrained himself.  “I have told you he is unworthy of your friendship,” he said.  “Let that be enough.”

“That’s not enough,” said Dot.  “I think otherwise.”