ignored, even by unimpressive Beth, and the girls soon became deeply
interested in their novel experiences.

Arthur Weldon sulked at home, unhappy and undecided, for a day or two
after the reception. Sunday noon he dispatched a messenger to Diana with
a note saying he would be unable to keep his appointment with her that
afternoon. Then he went straight to the Merrick home and sent his card
to Louise. The girl flushed, smiled, frowned, and decided to go down.

No one had ever interested her so much as Arthur Weldon. There had been
a spice of romance about their former relations that made her still
regard him as exceptional among mankind. She had been asking herself,
since the night of the reception, if she still loved him, but could not
come to a positive conclusion. The boy was no longer "ineligible," as he
had been at first; even Uncle John could now have no serious objection
to him. He was handsome, agreeable, occupied a good social position and
was fairly well off in the way of worldly goods--the last point removing
Mrs. Merrick's former rejection of Arthur as a desirable son-in-law.

But girls are wayward and peculiar in such an _affaire du coeur_, and
none of these things might have weighed with Louise had she not
discovered that Diana Von Taer was in love with Arthur and intended to
win him. That aroused the girl's fighting instincts, rendered the young
man doubly important, and easily caused Louise to forget her resentment
at his temporary desertion of her. Perhaps, she reflected, it had
partially been her own fault. Now that Arthur showed a disposition to
renew their friendship, and she might promise herself the satisfaction
of defeating Diana's ambitions, it would be diplomatic, at least, to
receive the youth with cordial frankness.