Fred had nothing to do as important in his opinion as the cultivation of his friendship with Dora Denning.
He called it "friendship," but this misnomer deceived no one, not even Dora.

And when Dora encouraged his attentions, how was Ethel to prevent them without some explanation which would give a sort of reality to what was as yet a nameless suspicion?
Yet every day the familiarity increased.

He seemed to divine their engagements.

If they went to their jeweler's, or to a bazaar, he was sure to stroll in after them.

When they came out of the milliner's or modiste's, Fred was waiting.