you say?" asked Cynthia, straightening herself
from her arrangement of the table and standing very erect, with a bottle
in one hand and an olive on the end of a fork in the other. "What can
you be thinking of? Of course _not_. _I_ am busy. But you have no time
to lose if you want to get them here before lunch is ready. It is a good
half-mile there and back."

"When Miss Franklin commands I have but to obey," said Bronson, with a
bow, though there was a disagreeable light in his steely eyes. "Who will
take pity on me and go with me? Miss Morgan, surely you will be so
good?"

Gertrude was much pleased at being singled out by the guest of the
occasion, and although she knew that the ferns which were growing in
profusion all about them would adorn the table just as well, she gave no
hint of it, for she was not averse to taking the walk with Bronson.

"Tell me about the Franklins," said he, as he took her red umbrella and
opened it. "Are they fond of their step-mother?"

"All but Edith, and she can't bear her, and I don't think she is
over-fond of Neal, either. Tell me something about him, Mr. Bronson. He
is a school-mate of yours, you say?"

"Oh, don't ask me! I think it's awfully bad form for one fellow to give
away another, don't you know. Of course, some fellows would, but I'm not
that kind."

Gertrude admired these sentiments extremely. She wished that Bronson
would hold the umbrella at an angle that would shield her a little more.
It was entirely over him, while she herself was in the sun, and it was
rather warm walking. However, it was a pleasure to have her umbrella
carried by such an elegant-looking individual, even though she derived
no benefit from it.

From his words and manner Gertrude gathered the idea that Bronson, if he
chose, could tell something very much against Neal Gordon, but his high
sense of honor held him back.

"What a lovely fellow he is!" thought Gertrude; then she said aloud, "Of
course I would not have you for the world. I have always fancied there
might be something, don't you know?"

Now Gertrude had really never fancied anything of the kind, and yet she
did not dream of being untruthful. It was an idea born of the moment.
Her vanity prompted her to agree with Bronson, who was apparently such a
very charming fellow.

"Oh, don't say that, Miss Morgan! I didn't mean to give you that idea.
You're so awfully clever, you have guessed what I never intended to say.
Don't ever tell what I