"It's abominable!" exclaimed Alice.

"Abominable? Why is it abominable? Your cousin wants to know if this young
man is a proper person for you to have as a friend."

"I can decide that for myself," flashed the girl.

"Oh, can you? Ha, ha! How wise we are!"

"And--er--you have made inquiries about me?" resumed Kittredge with a
strangely anxious look.

Mother Bonneton half closed her eyes and threw out her thick lips in an
ugly leer. "I should say we have! And found out things--well, just a few!"

"What things?"

"We have found out, my pretty sir, that you lived for months last year by
gambling. I suppose you will deny it?"

"No," answered Kittredge in a low tone, "it's true."

"Ah! We found out also that the money you made by gambling you spent with a
brazen creature who----"

"Stop!" interrupted the American, and turning to the girl he said: "Alice,
I didn't mean to go into these details, I didn't see the need of it,
but----"

"I don't want to know the details," she interrupted. "I know _you_, Lloyd,