Doris refused to answer. Her heart was beating furiously and she felt herself trembling a little. “Miss Templeton,” Chet went on, “I don’t like to see you deceived by any fellow. You ought to know by this time that Dick Merriwell thinks more of my sister than he does of any one else. I will tell you what I have heard that he has said about this affair. He has told his friends that he hoped you would let him alone and take up with Darrell again.” Quick as a flash, Doris straightened up, her eyes full of fire. “Whoever has said such a thing, Chester Arlington, has lied,” she blazed. Again he shrugged his shoulders. “Perhaps they have,” he admitted. “I am only repeating the gossip of the school.” “Well, I wish to hear no more of it. I wish you to let me alone. Come, Zona!” Doris stamped her foot. “You will leave us this minute!” she cried. “You pretend to be a gentleman. If you are you will not force yourself on us any more!” “Oh, very well,” smiled Chester. “Sometime you won’t feel this way toward me. Good day!” He lingered on the bridge and watched the girls as they climbed the path and disappeared into the budding woods. Zona turned to look back and waved her hand at him, to which he replied in like manner. When they had vanished, he muttered: “The seed is planted; we will see what it grows into. I will win by fair means or foul!” CHAPTER V. A TROUBLED HEART. “What is the matter, Doris?” asked Zona, as the path at length brought them through the woods and in sight of Lakeside Academy. Doris shook her head and swallowed down a choking lump in her throat. “Nothing,” she answered. In a moment Zona’s arm was about her. “Tell me,” she urged. “I am your friend. What was it Chester said to you? I could hear but little of it.” “He said enough to prove conclusively that he is no gentleman!” declared the troubled girl. “Oh! I am sure you’re wrong about that. He is naturally a gentleman, Doris. If he told you anything, he told it because he believed you should know.” “But it isn’t true—it can’t be true. Dick wouldn’t say such things to his best friends. I will never believe the academy boys are talking such gossip.” Again Zona urged her companion to tell, and Doris finally consented. With her cheeks burning, she repeated what Chester Arlington had said. “What do you think of that, Zona?” she demanded. The girl with the yellow hair turned her face away. “I—don’t—know,” she murmured, finding it difficult to reply. “You don’t know,” cried the other, grasping her arm. “Why, you don’t believe the boys are saying such things, do you?” Suddenly, with a burst of absolute frankness, Zona turned toward her friend: “Do you want me to tell you the actual truth?” she asked. “Perhaps it will be the best thing I can do. It will be better for you, better for Hal, better for Dick, better for every one.” Although her heart was seized with apprehension, Doris urged Zona to speak.