Her mother set matters straight.

"Fathers ARE amusing," she said smilingly to Russell, who was looking at her, though how fixedly she did not notice; for she turned from him at once to enlighten her husband.

"Every girl who meets Mildred, and tries to push the acquaintance by coming here until the poor child has to hide, isn't a FRIEND of hers, my dear!" Mildred's eyes were downcast again, and a faint colour rose in her cheeks.

"Oh, I shouldn't put it quite that way about Alice Adams," she said, in a low voice.

"I saw something of her for a time.