Freeman Todder was not twenty-five, but something hard in his face and eyes made him look older at times. His face was thin and his mouth like a healed wound, so thin were his lips. He did not have much chin. He did not look wholesome. He looked unsafe and cruel. “L-i-q-u-o-r,” he spelled, and looked at Gay and laughed. “C-a-r-d-s. Also d-i-c-e. I'm a regular Satan, ain't I?” “Oh, Freeman!” she said reproachfully. “Don't be sarcastic. We were only--” “Only talking me over. Well, that's something, anyway. That's a sort of flattery.” He laid his cane across his knees. “You _have_ been drinking, Freeman,” Gay said. “Yes. I've had a couple too many. Do you know how I feel? Like this--whoops!” He flung his hat off to the left on the lawn. “Whoops!” He threw his cane to the right. “Ah!” exclaimed Gay, as if he had intentionally hurt her. “Why do you?” Freeman spread out his hand on his knee and looked at his fingers one by one, raising each in turn. On one finger he wore a large, flashy ring. He moved the finger so that the light flashed from the facets of the stone. Suddenly he looked into the girl's eyes. “Keep away from me, Gay,” he said seriously. “I'm no good. I'm warning you, understand? Don't have anything to do with me. I'm bad business. I like you, but I 'm bad business.” “But, Freeman--” “Not yet. You can 'but Freeman' me all you like when I get through, but this is my hiss, this is the rattle of my snake buttons. You keep away from me. I'm bad for you, and I'm saying so now because after this I won't care a damn. This is my warning. After this you'll have to look out for yourself. Do you understand what I'm saying?” “Yes, but you don't really mean it.” “I do mean it. I'm warning you. If you know what is good for you, you'll never speak to me, or let me speak to you again: Once! Twice! Third and last warning! Warned!” He waited a moment. When he spoke it was no longer seriously, but in his usual flippant tone. “Who is the Lem kid?” he asked. “Miss Redding's nephew. His father left him here awhile ago. And--what do you think? Henrietta's Bill has set the wedding day. I'm so glad for Henrietta. She has been so sweet about waiting.” It was evident that Gay had not taken Freeman's warning as seriously as she might have taken it. Freeman raised his eyebrows with an effect like that of shrugging one's shoulders. He had warned her, and seriously, and that was more than he need have done. “That so?” he said indifferently, referring to Henrietta. “Henrietta and her Bill give me a pain.” “Why? Do you know anything about them?” asked Gay eagerly. “I? No. Why should I?” “Haven't you suspected anything?” asked Gay. Freeman turned and looked in her eyes. “What do you suspect?” he asked as if the whole matter interested him little. “Well, we may be doing her the most awful injustice,” Gay said, “but Lorna and I have been wondering if there _is_ a Bill. We wonder if Henrietta is n't just pretending there is a Billy Vane--and all.”