not," said Dudley, quickly. "I only meant
that--considering"--he paused, and seemed to be trying to recollect
something--"considering what took place down at Datton yesterday and how
anxious your father seemed to be rid of me--"

"But what has my father got to do with me, as far as you are concerned,
Dudley, eh?" said Max.

There had come upon him suddenly such a strong impression that his
friend was in some awful difficulty, some scrape so terrible as to make
him lonely beyond the reach of help, that Max, who was a good-hearted
fellow and a stanch friend, spoke with something which might almost be
called tenderness:

"We've always been chums, now, haven't we? And a row between you and
Doreen, or between you and my father, wouldn't make any difference to
me. I--I suppose you don't mean to give me the cold shoulder for the
future, eh?"

Dudley had turned his back upon him, and was standing on the hearth-rug,
looking down at the fire, in an attitude which betrayed to his friend
the uneasiness from which he was suffering. It was an attitude of
constraint, as different as possible from any in which Max had ever seen
him.

Another pause. Dudley seemed unable on this occasion to give a simple
answer to a simple question without taking thought first. At last he
laughed awkwardly and half turned toward Max.

"Why, of course not," said he, but without heartiness. "Of course not.
Though it will be rather awkward, mind, for us to see much of each other
just at first, after my having got kicked out like that, won't it?"

The tone in which Max answered betrayed considerable surprise and
perplexity.

"Kicked out!" he exclaimed. "My father said he hardly got a word out
before you took yourself off in a huff."

Dudley turned round quickly and faced him this time, with a sullen look
of defiance on his dark face.

"Well, the wise man doesn't wait to be kicked out," said he. "He removes
himself upon the slightest hint that such a proceeding on his part would
be well received."

"You were a little too quick on this occasion," replied Max, dryly, "for
my father has got himself into hot water, and mother had a fit of
crying, while Doreen--"

Something made Max hesitate to tell his friend how Doreen had taken his
desertion. Max himself was ready to stand by his friend, whatever
difficulties the latter might be in. But Doreen, his lovely sister, must
have a lover without reproach.

At the mention of the girl's name there cam