ontent."

"Somebody will win the rubber, this hand," Miss Erskine
platitudinized,--with the way such persons have of announcing a self
evident fact--as she spread out her hand. "It is fair support,
partner."

Croyden nodded. Then proceeded with much apparent thought and
deliberation, to play the hand like the veriest tyro.

Miss Erskine fidgeted in her seat, gave half smothered exclamations,
looked at him appealingly at every misplay. All with no effect. Croyden
was wrapped in the game--utterly oblivious to anything but the
cards--leading the wrong one, throwing the wrong one, matching
pasteboards, that was all.

Miss Erskine was frantic. And when, at the last, holding only a
thirteener and a fork in Clubs, he led the losing card of the latter,
she could endure the agony no longer.

"That is five tricks you have lost, Mr. Croyden, to say nothing of the
rubber!" she snapped. "I must go, now--a delightful game! thank you, my
dear Davila. So much obliged to you all, don't you know. Ah, Captain
Carrington, will you see me as far as the front gate?--I won't disturb
the game. Davila can take my place."

"Yes, I'll take her to the gate!" muttered the Captain aside to
Croyden, who was the very picture of contrition. "But if she only were
a man! Are you ready, Amelia?" and he bowed her out.

"You awful man!" cried Miss Carrington. "How could you do it!"

"I think it was lovely--perfectly lovely!" exclaimed Miss
Tilghman.--"Oh! that last hand was too funny for words.--If only you
could have seen her face, Mr. Croyden."

[Illustration: LEADING THE WRONG ONE, THROWING THE WRONG ONE, MATCHING
PASTEBOARDS, THAT WAS ALL]

"I didn't dare!" laughed he. "One look, and I'd have given the whole
thing away."

"She never suspected.--I tell you, she is as dense as asphalt," said
Miss Carrington. "Come, now we'll have some Bridge."

"And I'll try to observe the rule of eleven!" said Croyden.

He lingered a moment, after the game was ended and the others had gone.
When he came to say good-night, he held Miss Carrington's slender
fingers a second longer than the occasion justified.

"And may I come again soon?" he asked.

"As often as you wish," she answered. "You have the advantage of
proximity, at least."

VI

CONFIDENCE AND SCRUPLES

The next month, to Croyden, went pleasantly enough. He was occupied
with getting the household machinery to run according to his ideas--and
still retain Moses and Josephine, who,