“Those are the very words he used,” interrupted Ruth, while Tom recovered from his confusion and Helen from her enjoyment of her twin’s embarrassment.  “He says you shall have a square deal.”

While the young actress ate—­and Aunt Alvirah heaped her plate, “killing me with kindness!” Hazel Gray declared—­the young folk chattered.  Ruth saw that Tom could scarcely keep his eyes off Miss Gray, and it puzzled the girl of the Red Mill.

Afterward, when Miss Gray had gone out with Mr. Hammond, and Tom was out of sight, Helen began to laugh.  “Aren’t boys funny?” she said to Ruth.  “Tom is terribly smitten with that lovely Hazel Gray.”

“Smitten?” murmured Ruth.

“Of course.  Don’t say you didn’t notice it.  He hasn’t had a ‘crush’ on any girl before that I know of.  But it’s a sure-enough case of ‘measles’ this time.  Busy Izzy tells me that most of the fellows in their class at Seven Oaks have a ‘crush’ on some moving picture girl; and now Tom, I suppose, will be cutting out of the papers every picture of Hazel Gray that he sees, and sticking them up about his room.  And she has promised to send him a real cabinet photograph of herself in character in the bargain,” and Helen laughed again.

But Ruth could not be amused about this.  She was disturbed.

“I didn’t think Tom would be so silly,” she finally said.

“Pooh! it’s nothing.  Bobbins and Tom are getting old enough to cast sheep’s eyes at the girls.  Heretofore, Tommy has been crazy about the slapstick comedians of the movies; but I rather admire his taste if he likes this Hazel Gray.  I really think she’s lovely.”

“So she is,” Ruth said quite placidly.  “But she is so much older than your brother——­”

“Pooh! only two or three years.  But, of course, Ruth, it’s nothing serious,” said the more worldly-wise Helen.  “And boys usually are smitten with girls some years older than themselves—­at first.”

“Dear me!” gasped Ruth.  “How much you seem to know about such things, Helen. How did you find out?”

At that Helen burst into laughter again.  “You dear little innocent!” she exclaimed.  “You’re so blind—­blind as a bat!  You never see the boys at all.  You look on Tom to-day just as though he were the same Tom that you helped find the time he fell off his bicycle and was hurt by the roadside.  You remember?  Ages and ages ago!”

But did Ruth look upon Tom Cameron in just that way?  She said nothing in reply to Tom’s sister.

They came out of the house together and joined Mr. Hammond and Miss Gray just as they were about to step into the limousine.  Aunt Alvirah waved her hand from the window.

“She’s just lovely!” declared Miss Gray.  “You should have met her, Mr. Hammond.”

“That pleasure is in reserve,” said the gentleman, smiling.  “I hope to see the Red Mill again.”

Tom came hurrying down to shake hands with Miss Gray.  Ruth watched them with some puzzlement of mind.  Tom was undoubtedly embarrassed; but the moving picture girl was too used to making an impression upon susceptible minds to be much disturbed by Tom Cameron’s worship.