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.
Therefore she greeted him smilingly and with outstretched hand, saying: "This is quite a surprise, Mr.Weldon.

I'd a notion you had forgotten me." "No, indeed, Louise! How could you imagine such a thing ?" he answered, reproachfully.
"There was some evidence of the fact," she asserted archly.