er, in the
slightest degree, she thought of him as he thought of her. But he had
never been able to perceive any indication of this. The young widow was
kind, gracious, and at times delightfully intimate with him, but he
knew enough of the world to understand that this sort of thing in this
sort of place might not in the least indicate that what was growing up
in him was growing up in her.

On the afternoon of the day after Miss Calthea Rose had taken tea at the
Squirrel Inn Walter Lodloe came down from his room in the tower with no
other object in life than to find Mrs. Cristie. It was about the hour
that she usually appeared on the lawn, and if there should follow
tennis, or talking, or walking, or anything else, one thing would be the
same as another to Lodloe, provided he and she took part. But when he
saw Mrs. Cristie her avocation was one in which he could not take part.

She was sitting on a bench by Mr. Tippengray, Ida Mayberry was sitting
at his other side, and the everlasting baby-carriage was standing near
by. The Greek scholar and the nurse-maid each had a book, but these were
closed, and Mr. Tippengray was talking with great earnestness and
animation, while the young women appeared to be listening with eager
interest. It was plain that the two were taking a lesson in something or
other.

As Lodloe walked slowly from the gate of the little garden Mrs. Cristie
looked up for a moment, saw him, but instantly resumed her attentive
listening. This was enough; he perceived that for the present, at least,
he was not wanted. He strolled on towards the field, and just below the
edge of the bluff he saw Lanigan Beam sitting under a tree.

"Hello!" said the latter, looking up, "are they at that stupid business
yet?"

Lodloe smiled. "Are you waiting for Miss Mayberry to get through with
her lesson?" he asked.

"Yes, I am," said Lanigan. "I have been hanging around here for half an
hour. I never saw such a selfish old codger as that Tippengray. I
suppose he will stick there with them the whole afternoon."

"And you want him!" said Lodloe.

"Want him!" exclaimed Lanigan; "not much. But I want her. If there were
only two together I would do as I did yesterday. I would join them, take
a part, and before long carry her off; but I can't do that with Mrs.
Cristie there. I haven't the cheek to break up her studies."

Lodloe laughed. "Don't let us wait for the second table," he said; "come
and take a walk to Lethbury.