Frank did so, and Bart's face clouded as he listened. "I know you are great at catching on with the girls," Bart observed; "but I swear I did not believe Vida Melburn was the sort to take up with a chance acquaintance, under any circumstances." Frank laughed. "Now, you are jealous, old man," he said. "It came about naturally enough, and she acted like a lady." "But not like the Vida Melburn I know." "I do not believe she is the Vida Melburn you know. You have been deceived by a resemblance, my boy." Bart shook his head. "Not much! Don't take me for a fool, Frank! I am not such a dunderhead as that--oh, no!" "Then she lied to one of us." Bart's face lighted a bit. "Possibly she did not care to give you her right name, having made your acquaintance in such a manner. That must be the real explanation." "Look here, Bart, that girl is too unsophisticated, too innocent to work that kind of a game. She has the most innocent face I ever saw." "You are right," the dark-haired lad confessed, "Vida would not be likely to do such a thing. She is frank and open as the day." "Well, what do you make of it?" "I don't know what to make of it." "Tell me how you came to know her." "She was visiting at Fardale, and I became acquainted with her. She liked me and--I liked her. We were together a great deal. She did not tell me much about herself, but, still, I learned a few things. Her home is in Sacramento, but she has relatives in Carson City. I found out that there had been trouble between her father and mother, and they had separated. That is how her father happened to send her East. Her relatives at Fardale did not regard me with favor for some reason, and they ordered me to have nothing more to say to her. Still, we met occasionally, and--to tell the truth, old boy--I fell in love with her. They found out we were seeing each other secretly, and they made a rumpus about it. Then they wrote to her father, and they sent for her to return to the West. She was shipped off in a hurry, so we would see no more of each other; but she wrote me a short note, telling me to address her at Austin, Nevada. I did so, and, as I happen to have a rich old uncle in California, I proposed to come out here. She answered, saying she would be in Reno just three days ago, and for me to meet her at the railway station, if possible. It looked impossible then, but I was hard hit, and I made a big hustle to get away from school and come out here. I worked all kinds of schemes on the governor, and he finally agreed to let me come West to visit Uncle Hiram. I came, and I was in Reno on the date set, but she did not appear. I have been there every day since, and to-day she came. You know the rest." Frank regarded his friend steadfastly for some moments, smiling covertly. "You are a queer fellow, Bart," he said. "You go to extremes in everything. Now, stop and think of chasing away out here after a girl. It is----" Bart interrupted him with a sharp gesture.