dmiringly scanning the approaching group. As soon as he
saw they were heading for the club-room instead of the gate, he slipped
behind the bar and put on his coat. Miss Sanford hung back as Mr.
Gleason threw open the portals, and called out encouragingly,--

"Come right in, ladies; there's no one here but the bar-keeper."

Mrs. Truscott stepped lightly over the threshold, and glanced with
smiling curiosity around. The first thing that caught her eye was a
placard hanging at the entrance of a little alcove-like space beyond the
rusty old billiard-tables. Within were two or three green baize-covered
card-tables and rude wooden chairs. On the placard, roughly stencilled,
was the legend,--

"He who enters here leaves soap behind."

Mrs. Truscott's eyes expressed wonderment and mirth commingled.

"How utterly absurd! Who did that, Mr. Gleason?"

"That? Oh! That's some of Blake's work, I believe! Ah--are you not
coming in, Miss Sanford?"

"Thanks, no, Mr. Gleason; I believe I'll wait here," was the reply,
pleasant but decided.

"Why, Marion! Do come in!" cried Mrs. Truscott, hastening to the door.

Miss Sanford's face was flushing slightly, but her voice was gentle as
usual.

"I'll wait for you, Grace; but I do not care for a lemonade, and--would
rather not go in."

"Indeed, I don't care for one either. I only said yes because I thought,
perhaps, you would like it--or would care to see the club-room," Mrs.
Truscott protested, as she hurriedly came forth. "We are just as much
obliged to you, Mr. Gleason, but--not to-day." And with that they
resumed their homeward stroll. Once through the gate Mr. Gleason
slackened the pace, so as to detain his fair companion a moment.

"Why would you decline my invitation?" he asked, in a tone of what was
intended to be tender reproach.

"I prefer not to visit--the club-room, as I believe it is called."

"You would soon get used to it if you were in the Army," he ventured
awkwardly.

"But I am not in the Army," she began, self-restrainedly enough; then,
as though she could not repress the words, "Nor would I be if, as you
say, I had to get used to that."

She has a temper then, quoth Gleason to himself, ruefully noting that he
had made a bad move. It gave him an opportunity of putting in what was
generally considered a pretty effective piece of work, however,--one
that had been often employed on somewhat similar occasions, and will be
again.

"Ah, Miss Sanford, were t