Barbara hesitated. She did not object to Reginald Latham as the other girls did; she even thought Ruth, Grace and Mollie were prejudiced against him, but she had an idea that something disagreeable might grow out of a further intimacy.
"I am sorry, Mr. Latham," she exclaimed politely, "but we have planned to do some target practice in the morning? We are going to stay but a short time up here in the woods, and Mr. Stuart, Ruth's father, is anxious that we should learn to shoot."
"But I am a fairly good shot myself," protested Reginald Latham. "Why can't I come up and help with the teaching? May I, Miss Stuart?" he asked, turning to Ruth, who much against her will, was obliged to consent.
"Never again shall I allow you to engage in such an unladylike and cruel sport as a coon hunt!" announced Miss Sallie, when the last guest had gone. The girls agreed with her, as the baying of the hounds and the noise from the hunters' horns at last died away in the distance.
"Good-bye Ralph!" said Barbara, extending her hand to her old friend.
"Good-bye, Barbara," Ralph answered, politely. "It has been a great pleasure for Hugh and me to see you and the other girls in your forest retreat. I am sorry we must be off so soon."
"But you will come back again, in a week or two won't you?" begged Ruth. "I heard you promise those lovely English girls, Hugh, to take part in the autumn sports at Lenox."
"Oh, we shall be back if possible, Ruth." Hugh assured her. "I think we can promise to give Lenox a taste of our charming society, say near the first week in October."
"Let's be off, Hugh," called Ralph. "Here is that Latham fellow coming up the hill."
Bab laid her hand on Ralph's sleeve. "You are not angry with me for going off with Reginald Latham last night are you? Truth of the matter, Ralph, I don't believe I like Mr. Latham any better than the others do. But I am rather sorry for him; he seems queer and nervous. Why, the other day, even at his own house, all the young people except me ran away from him. I don't think he is very happy. That's why he is always fooling with inventions and things. He's a weak kind of fellow, Ralph, but I don't think he is horrid."
Ralph laughed and his face cleared. "Good for you, Bab. Always looking after the oppressed. But I don't think you need feel sorry for a fellow who has such a lot of money coming his way as Reg Latham."