bles did
her the honor to prolong their casual glance to an instant's critical
inspection. The women studied her costume of black with white lace as
if wondering whether the confection of a Parisian artist might not be
successfully duplicated by a domestic dressmaker (as it never can,
ladies). The men's gaze generalized more, but had in it a hint of
approbation which Flint found offensive. He did not relish the idea
of making one of a restaurant party which challenged observation; but
he perceived at once that it was unavoidable. Mrs. Graham was very
gracious, and insisted, with much emphasis, that he should take his
dinner with them.

"You _must_ come and dine with us at our table. You look _so_ lonely
over there," she remarked. "I have some sympathy with bachelors. My
husband was one once."

"Yes," answered Flint; "I knew him in those pre-madamite days."

This allusion was too occult for Mrs. Graham. She smiled the smile of
assent without apprehension, and asked if Flint had been at Bar Harbor
this summer. He should have been; it was _so_ pleasant. The young man
felt a wild desire to set forth the rival charms of Nepaug, and urge
her to try it next season. The thought of her and her husband settled
at the inn made him smile as he saw her lift a roll in her delicately
ringed fingers, and smooth back the lace of her cuffs. What would
happen, he wondered, if she were seated before a Nepaug dinner, with a
Nepaug tablecloth and napkin?

"I have not been so far afield as Mount Desert," he answered, with an
irrepressible smile at his own thoughts. "I stayed in town till July,
and then I went to Nepaug. Perhaps you never heard of that delightful
summer resort?"

"Nepaug? Nepaug?" repeated Mrs. Graham, with as near an approach to
reflection as she ever permitted herself. "Why, that's where Winifred
Anstice was going! Do you know Winifred Anstice?"

"Do _you_ know her?" Flint questioned in his turn, in some surprise.

"Oh, dear, yes; we met her one summer when we were travelling in the
West. We were visiting on the same ranch. Mr. Graham quite lost his
head over her; didn't you, dear?"

"Well, I was a little touched. She showed up uncommonly well out
there,--rode a broncho, and beat all the men firing a pistol."

"Yes," his wife added, "and then so clever--so _frightfully_ clever.
Why, I've seen her _reading_ before breakfast, and not a novel either.
You and she must have enjoyed each other; for Mr. Graham tells me y