Arthur was present this evening, but by some chance Mershone drew Louise for his partner at cards, and being a skillful player he carried her in progression from table to table, leaving poor Arthur far behind and indulging in merry repartee and mild flirtation until they felt they were quite well acquainted.
Louise found the young man a charming conversationalist.

He had a dashing, confidential way of addressing the girl which impressed her as flattering and agreeable, while his spirits were so exuberant and sparkling with humor that she was thoroughly amused every moment while in his society.

Indeed, Mr.Mershone was really talented, and had he possessed any manly attributes, or even the ordinary honorable instincts of mankind, there is little doubt he would have been a popular favorite.
But he had made his mark, and it was a rather grimy one.

From earliest youth he had been guilty of discreditable acts that had won for him the contempt of all right-minded people.

That he was still accepted with lax tolerance by some of the more thoughtless matrons of the fashionable set was due to his family name.