tocking feet, skull cap, and dressing gown, perched on top of the
step-ladder, was clutching a book in one hand, within the other he held
Miss Lavinia's slender fingers in greeting, while his face had a curious
expression of surprise, pleasure, and a wild desire to regain his
slippers that were down on the floor, a combination that made him look
extremely foolish as well as "pudgy."

Up to that moment, Miss Lavinia, who cannot distinguish a face three
feet away without her lorgnette, thought she was speaking to father.
Under cover of our mutual hilarity, I led her back to a seat in the
study, so that Martin might recover his wits, coat, and slippers at the
same time, for Miss Lavinia had stumbled over the latter and sent them
coasting in different directions.

Yes, the postmistress was right, Lavinia Dorman had a new bonnet. Not the
customary conservative but monotonous upholstered affair of jet and lace,
but a handful of pink roses in a tulle nest, held on by wisps of tulle
instead of ribbons.

"Hortense, who has made bonnets for years, said this was more appropriate
for the country, and would show dirt less than black,--and even went so
far as to suggest omitting the strings altogether," she said in rather
flurried tones, as a few moments later we went upstairs, and I removed
the pins that held the confection in place, and commented upon its
prettiness.

* * * * *

Martin Cortright stayed to dinner, and afterward he, Miss Lavinia,
father, and Evan sat down to a "real old-fashioned," serious game of
whist! Of all things, to the fifth wheel, who is out of it, would not be
in if she could, cannot learn, and prefers jackstraws to card games of
any sort, an evening of serious whist is the most aggravating. They were
too well matched to even enliven matters by squabbling or casting
venomous glances at each other. Evan played with Martin Cortright, whose
system he was absorbed in mastering, and he never spoke a word, and
barely looked up. This, too, when he had been away for several days on a
business trip. It was moonlight, and I wanted him to see the new iris
that were in bloom along the wild walk, dilate upon the game of leap-frog
that the automobile played, and--well--there is a great deal to say when
Evan has been away that cannot be thought of indoors or be spoken
hurriedly in the concise, compact, public terms in which one orders a
meal. Conversation is only in part made of words, i