.

"We'll have two umpires," she insisted, scarcely knowing what she said.
"I'll choose Duane for the second. He and Rosalie ought to be able to
agree on the result of our game."

Dysart turned his head away leisurely, then looked around again
unsmiling.

"Two umpires? Soit! But that means you consent to play."

"Play?"

"Certainly."

"With you?"

"With me."

"I'll consider it.... Do you know we have been talking utter nonsense?"

"That's part of the game."

"Oh, then--do you assume that the--the game has already begun?"

"It usually opens that way, I believe."

"And where does it end, Mr. Dysart?"

"That is for you to say," he replied in a lower voice.

"Oh! And what are the rules?"

"The player who first falls really in love loses. There are no stakes.
We play as sportsmen--for the game's sake. Is it understood?"

She hesitated, smiling, a little excited, a little interested in the way
he put things.

At that same moment, across the lawn, Rosalie and Duane strolled into
view. She saw them, and with a nervous movement, almost involuntary, she
turned her back on them.

Neither she nor Dysart spoke. She gazed very steadily at the horizon, as
though there were sounds beyond the green world's rim. A few seconds
later a shadow fell over the terrace at her feet--two shadows
intermingled. She saw them on the grass at her feet, then quietly lifted
her head.

"We caught no trout," said Rosalie, sitting down on the arm of the chair
that Duane drew forward. "I fussed about in that canoe until Duane came
along, and then we went in swimming."

"Swimming?" repeated Geraldine, dumfounded.

Rosalie balanced herself serenely on her chair-arm.

"Oh, we often do that."

"Swim--where?"

"Why across the Gray Water, child!"

"But--there are no bath houses----"

Rosalie laughed outright.

"Quite Arcadian, isn't it? Duane has the forest on one side of the Gray
Water for a dressing-room, and I the forest on the other side. Then we
swim out and shake hands in the middle. Our bathing dresses are drying
on Miller's lawn. Please do tell me somebody is scandalised. I've done
my best to brighten up this house party."

Dysart, really discountenanced, but not showing it, lighted a cigarette
and asked pleasantly if the water was agreeable.

"It's magnificent," said Duane; "it was like diving into a lake of iced
Apollinaris. Geraldine, why on earth don't you build some bath houses on
the Gray Waters?"

Perhaps