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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

 [[174]]