Say, Betty--” Chet turned back hesitatingly.
“I'd go a little slow with Jack Huxley. What
little I know about him isn't so good.”

“What is it, Chet? He's smart and a per-
fect, gentleman whenever I see him.”

“Oh, I don't suppose there's much out of the
way. He runs with a pretty wild crowd, though,
and he hasn't been here long.”

“Well, I scarcely think that he would be in-
vited by the countess to a party for Lucia if he
weren't all right.” Betty spoke with some de-
cision and Chet looked at her soberly.

“Don't you think so? Maybe not. Did you
meet him there?”

“Yes. Good-bye, Chet. I'll be ready tomorrow
night and tell your mother that I'd love to dress
up and be in a booth.”

Betty, who rather regretted a bit of steel that
she had put into her tone before, made this fare-
well as friendly as possible. But Chet's answer-
ing smile could scarcely be called one and he
hurried down the hall to another exit, in order
to avoid Jack, Betty supposed. Oh, well, she
couldn't help it. Jack _must_ be all right! Why,
he was a perfect dear, as Mathilde called him.
Not that Mathilde's opinion of any one would
be a recommendation, however. He did have
some different ideas of things and they had had

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