The telltale color rushed up into her cheeks as Mrs. Lancaster's eyes rested on her, and as it mounted, those blue eyes grew a little more searching. "I can scarcely bear to see him when he comes there," said Lois. "Has he begun to go there again?" Mrs. Lancaster inquired, in some surprise. "Yes; and he pretends that he is coming to see me!" said the girl, with a flash in her eyes. "You know that is not true?" "Don't you believe him," said the other, gravely. Her eyes, as they rested on the girl's face, had a very soft light in them. "Well, we must make it up," she said presently. "You are going to Mrs. Wickersham's?" she asked suddenly. "Yes; Cousin Louise is going and says I must go. Mr. Wickersham will not be there, you know." "Yes." She drifted off into a reverie. CHAPTER XXV THE DINNER AT MRS. WICKERSHAM'S Keith quickly discovered that Rumor was busy with Ferdy Wickersham's name in other places than gilded drawing-rooms. He had been dropped from the board of more than one big corporation in which he had once had a potent influence. Knowing men, like Stirling and his club friends, began to say that they did not see how he had kept up. But up-town he still held on-held on with a steady eye and stony face that showed a nerve worthy of a better man. His smile became more constant,--to be sure, It was belied by his eyes: that cold gleam was not mirth,--but his voice was as insolent as ever. Several other rumors soon began to float about. One was that he and Mrs. Wentworth had fallen out. As to the Cause of this the town was divided. One story was that the pretty governess at Mrs. Wentworth's was in some way concerned with it. However this was, the Wickersham house was mortgaged, and Rumor began to say even up-town that the Wickersham fortune had melted away. The news of Keith's success in England had reached home as soon as he had. His friends congratulated him, and his acquaintances greeted him with a warmth that, a few years before, would have cheered his heart and have made him their friend for life. Mrs. Nailor, when she met him, almost fell on his neck. She actually called him her "dear boy." "Oh, I have been hearing about you!" she said archly. "You must come and dine with us at once and tell us all about it." "About what?" inquired Keith. "About your great successes on the other side. You see, your friends keep up with you!" "They do, indeed, and sometimes get ahead of me," said Keith. "How would to-morrow suit you? No, not to-morrow--Saturday? No; we are going out Saturday. Let me see--we are so crowded with engagements I shall have to go home and look at my book. But you must come very soon. You have heard the news, of course? Isn't it dreadful?" "What news?" He knew perfectly what she meant. "About the Norman-Wentworths getting a divorce? Dreadful, isn't it? Perfectly dreadful! But, of course, it was to be expected. Any one could see that all along?"