A moment later Lois entered the room. She walked straight up to him. Wickersham tried to greet her lightly, but she remained grave. "Mr. Wickersham, I do not think you--ought to come here--as often as you do." "And, pray, why not?" he demanded. Her brown eyes looked straight into his and held them steadily. "Because people talk about it." "I cannot help people talking. You know what they are," said Wickersham, amused. "You can prevent giving them occasion to talk. You are too good a friend of Cousin Louise to cause her unhappiness." The honesty of her words was undoubted. It spoke in every tone of her voice and glance of her eyes. "She is most unhappy." Wickersham conceived a new idea. How lovely she was in her soft blue dress! "Very well, I will do what you say There are few things I would not do for you." He stepped closer to her and gazed in her eyes. "Sit down. I want to talk to you." "Thank you; I must go now." Wickersham tried to detain her, but she backed away, her hands down and held a little back. "Good-by." "Miss Huntington--Lois--" he said; "one moment." But she opened the door and passed out. Wickersham walked down the street in a sort of maze. CHAPTER XXIV KEITH TRIES HIS FORTUNES IN ANOTHER LAND In fact, as usual, Mrs. Nailor's statement to Lois had some foundation, though very little. Mrs. Lancaster had gone abroad, and Keith had followed her. Keith, on his arrival in England, found Rhodes somewhat changed, at least in person. Years of high living and ease had rounded him, and he had lost something of his old spirit. At times an expression of weariness or discontent came into his eyes. He was as cordial as ever to Keith, and when Keith unfolded his plans he entered into them with earnestness. "You have come at a good time," he said. "They are beginning to think that America is all a bonanza." After talking over the matter, Rhodes invited Keith down to the country. "We have taken an old place in Warwickshire for the hunting. An old friend of yours is down there for a few days,"--his eyes twinkled,--"and we have some good fellows there. Think you will like them--some of them," he added. "Who is my friend?" asked Keith. "Her name was Alice Yorke," he replied, with his eyes on Keith's face. At the name another face sprang to Keith's mind. The eyes were brown, not blue, and the face was the fresh face of a young girl. Yet Keith accepted. Rhodes did not tell him that Mrs. Lancaster had not accepted their invitation until after she had heard that he was to be invited. Nor did he tell him that she had authorized him to subscribe largely to the stock of the new syndicate.