could
not resist remarking to Winthrop, as the latter passed through the empty
room on his way to the balcony for a final cigarette, "Quite a brilliant
little occasion, wasn't it?"

"Thanks to you," Winthrop answered.

"Softly, softly," said the Doctor, much pleased, but still considerate.
"I am old, and can no longer be a leader. But that young Spenser, now--"

"Yes, that young Spenser now--thanks to him too," said Winthrop,
disappearing.

The Doctor could not but think that his host was sometimes a little dry.

The next day Lucian finished one of his sketches, went up to Gracias to
pay some visits, and returned at sunset; he again spent the evening at
East Angels. He announced, when he came in, that he had decided to
remain a week longer in his solitary quarters; after that he should
spend a day with the Moores, and then start westward towards New
Orleans.

"Eight days more," said Garda, counting.

"Yes. See how agreeable you will have to be! Everything fascinating you
know, I beg you to say, so that my last hours may be made harrowingly
delightful; for it's very uncertain whether I ever see Gracias again."

"I don't care about 'evers,'" said Garda; "'evers' are always far off.
What I care about is to get every instant of those eight days." She left
her chair and went across to Winthrop. "Are you going to be nice?" she
asked, in a coaxing tone. "_Do_ be nice; arrange so that we can go
somewhere every day." She spoke so that he alone could hear her.

"Do you call that being nice? I thought you did not like to go out."

"When there's nobody but ourselves I don't; that is, not often, for it's
always the same people, the same thing. But when there's somebody else,
somebody I _really_ want to talk to, that's different; there are a great
many more chances to talk and say what you like when everybody is
walking about in the woods or on beaches, than you ever get in a parlor,
you know."

Winthrop had never lost his enjoyment of Garda's frankness. He did not
admire Lucian Spenser, but he did admire the girl's coming to ask him to
secure for her as many opportunities as possible for being with that
fascinating guest.

"All very well for the present," he answered. "But we cannot forever
keep you supplied with a new Punch and Judy."

"What's Punch and Judy?"

He altered his sentence. "With new Lucian Spensers."

"Let me have the old one, then, as long as I can," responded Garda.

They made two or three excursi