Dorian now begin to realize that it was selfish, if not foolish, to think always of the dead Mildred to the exclusion of the very much alive Carlia.  Mildred was safe in the world of spirits, where he would some day meet her again; but until that time, he had this life to live and those about him to think of.  Carlia was a dear girl, beautiful, too, now in her maturing womanhood.  None of the other girls touched his heart as Carlia.  He had taken a number of them to dances, but he had always come back, in his thought, at least, to Carlia.  But her actions lately had been much of a puzzle.  Sometimes she seemed to welcome him eagerly when he called, at other times she tried to evade him.  No doubt this Mr. Jack Lamont was the disturbing element.  That winter he could be seen coming quite openly to the Duke home, and when the weather would permit, Carlia would be riding with him in his automobile.  The neighbors talked, but the father could only shake his head and explain that Carlia was a willful girl.

Now when it seemed that Carlia was to be won by this very gallant stranger, Dorian began to realize what a loss she would be to him.  He was sure he loved the girl, but what did that avail if she did not love him in return.  He held to the opinion that such attractions should be mutual.  He could see no sense in the old-time custom of the knight winning his lady love by force of arms or by the fleetness of horse’s legs.

However, Dorian was not easy in his mind, and it came to the point when he suffered severe heartaches when he knew of Carlia’s being with the stranger.  The Christmas holidays that season were nearly spoiled for him.  He had asked Carlia a number of times to go to the parties with him, but she had offered some excuse each time.

“Let her alone,” someone had told him.

“No; do not let her alone,” his mother had counseled; and he took his mother’s advice.

Carlia had been absent from the Sunday meetings for a number of weeks, so when she appeared in her place in the choir on a Sunday late in January, Dorian noticed the unusual pallor of her face.  He wondered if she had been ill.  He resolved to make another effort, for in fact, his heart went out to her.  At the close of the meeting he found his way to her side as she was walking home with her father and mother.  Dorian never went through the formality of asking Carlia if he might accompany her home.  He had always taken it for granted that he was welcome; and, at any rate, a man could always tell by the girl’s actions whether or not he was wanted.

“I haven’t seen you for a long time,” began Dorian by way of greeting.

The girl did not reply.

“Been sick?” he asked.

“Yes—­no, I’m all right.”

The parents walked on ahead, leaving the two young people to follow.  Evidently, Carlia was very much out of sorts, but the young man tried again.

“What’s the matter, Carlia?”