“And don’t you ever ask a girl to go to a party unless you have a crush on her?” asked Lydia, mischievously.

Kent gave her a clear look.  “No!” he replied.

Lydia flushed, then she said, slowly, “That’s only half true, Kent.  You’ve always liked me as I have you.  But you’ve always been ashamed of my clothes.  I don’t blame you a bit, but you can imagine how I feel about Billy, who’s taken me, clothes or no clothes.”

It was Kent’s turn to flush and he did so to such an extent that Lydia was sorry for him while she waited for him to answer.

“Hang it, Lyd, I’ve been an infernal cad, that’s all!”

“And,” Lydia went on, mercilessly, “I’ve got nothing to wear now but the same old graduating dress.  I suppose you were hoping for better things?”

“Stop it!” Kent shouted.  “I deserve it, but I’m not going to take it.  I’m asking you for just one reason and that is, I’ve waked up to the fact that you’re the finest girl in the world.  No one can hold a candle to you.”

There was a sudden lilt in Lydia’s voice that did not escape Kent as she answered laughingly, “Well, if you feel the same after seeing Margery this summer, I’ll be glad to go to one of the hops next fall with you, and thank you, deeply, Mr. Moulton.”

“All right,” said Kent, soberly.  “The first hop next fall is mine and as many more as I can get.”

It was late in the spring and after the conversation with Kent, that it began to be rumored about town that ex-Senator Alvord’s office was at the bottom of the Indian investigation.  Billy had been called in to testify and had shown an uncanny amount of knowledge of fraudulent land deals and Alvord had corroborated many of his statements.

Kent accused Billy of this openly, one Sunday afternoon at Lydia’s.  They were sitting on the lake shore, for the day was parching hot.  Both the young men were in flannels and hatless, and lolled on the grass at Lydia’s feet, as she sat with her back against a tree.  She noticed how Kent was all grace, and ease, while Billy, whose face had lately become thinner, was all gaunt angles.

“I’m willing to take the blame, if necessary,” said Billy.

Kent sat up with sudden energy.  “Look here, if it once got round town that you’re the father of this, you’ll be run out of Lake City.”

Billy laughed.  “Oh, no I won’t!  All you respectable citizens have got too many troubles of your own.”

“Nice thing to do to your friends and neighbors, Bill,” Kent went on, excitement growing in his voice as he realized the import of Billy’s acknowledgment.  “What the deuce did you do it for?”

Billy shrugged his shoulders and said nothing.  Kent appealed to Lydia.  “Would you have gone to parties with him if you’d known what he was doing to his town, Lyd?”

Billy was still lying on both elbows, industriously herding a pair of ants.  He did not look up at Lydia as she stared at his massive blond head.