In the morning Lois went to the city with her father and Dick.  She enjoyed the ride in the fresh air and she was somewhat sorry when she alighted from the car in front of her father’s office.  Dick wanted to drive her around to Mr. Westcote’s house as he was most anxious to see Margaret.  He had not met her for two days, and to him it seemed a very long time.  But as Lois had some shopping to do, she preferred to walk.

“I’ll be around this afternoon, though,” Dick told her.

“Oh, I know you will,” was the laughing reply.  “Shall I tell her?”

“Yes, do, Lois.  She’s great, isn’t she?”

“She certainly is, Dick.  But I must hurry away now,” she added as she saw that her brother was anxious to talk more about Margaret.

It did not take Lois long to do her shopping, and she was just leaving the store when she met Mrs. Dingle face to face.  Had she seen her sooner she would have made a desperate effort to escape her.  But there was nothing for her to do now but to submit with the best grace possible.

“Oh, isn’t it lovely to see you, dear,” Mrs. Dingle effusively cried, as she gave her a peck-like kiss upon the right cheek.  “We have been talking so much about you lately.  Sammie is fairly crazy to see you, and you must be prepared for a visit from him as soon as he learns you are in town.  I am so thankful that I have such a dutiful son.  He is quite a comfort to me, and I am sure any woman would be proud to have him for a husband.  There are so many bad men these days that we appreciate a good one when we find him.  We knew that you would come back to the city.”

“What made you think that?” Lois enquired as Mrs. Dingle paused an instant for breath.

“To get away from that horrid country place, of course, where that terrible murder was committed.  I hope they have that villain securely locked up.”

“What villain?” Lois asked.

“Why the one who killed that poor old man for his money.”

“No, he is not locked up yet.”

“But I heard that he is.  Surely he hasn’t escaped!” and Mrs. Dingle held up her well-gloved hands.

“No, he isn’t in prison yet,” Lois calmly replied.  “But there is an innocent man there, though, I am sorry to say.”

“Do you mean that uncouth fellow Sammie was telling me about?”

“I am not referring to any uncouth fellow, Mrs. Dingle, but merely to Mr. Jasper Randall, a gentleman and a friend of mine.”

“Oh, I didn’t know that,” and Mrs. Dingle looked her surprise as well as her embarrassment.  “All I know is what Sammie told me.”

“What did Sammie tell you?” Lois voice was sharp as she asked the question.

“I can’t remember all.  But he said that he was brought up on a farm, had to work his way through college, and that sort of thing, you know.  As he is not of our set, of course I did not pay much attention to what Sammie told me.”