Mr. Somers, having a hazy impression that to hand his card was the proper thing, and not wishing to be outdone in _savoir-faire_, fumbled in his pocket and produced a tumbled envelope, out of which he drew a visiting-card of imposing proportions. Margaret glanced at it quickly, and saw, to her horror, that it was printed! In the midst of a wide expanse of tinted pasteboard was inscribed _C. R. Somers_, in aggressive German type. She smiled to herself, as she made a swift mental comparison between this card and another--a pure-white little affair, with _Mr. Louis Gaston_ engraved on it in quiet script. She knew well what Gaston was thinking of Charley, as he waited quietly while the latter wrote his address and handed him the cumbrous card with rather a bad grace, and she knew as well what Charley, as he scribbled off the street, and number of his friend’s house, was thinking of Mr. Gaston. It was all very absurd, and she could not help feeling and perhaps looking amused. Louis lingered to make a few more friendly overtures, but these were so loftily received by Mr. Somers that he soon found it best to take leave, and, with a pleasant “_Au revoir_” to both, he turned and left the room. “A French-talking, phrase-turning dandy!” said Charley, as soon as his back was turned. “I wonder that you can tolerate such a man, Margaret.” “It would be interesting to ascertain his opinion of you,” returned Margaret. “If he puts no higher estimate on your conduct on this occasion than I do, perhaps it is as well for us to remain in ignorance of it.” “And do you suppose I care one penny for his opinion? If you do, you are much mistaken. I was obliged to give my address when he asked for it, but I hope he’ll not trouble himself to call. I have no desire to improve his acquaintance.” “And yet you might find it not only pleasant but profitable,” said Margaret. “There are many things that you might, with great benefit, learn from him.” “Upon my word, Margaret, this is a little too much,” exclaimed Somers. “You have abandoned and repudiated your own people in a very short while, when you can talk of my learning from a conceited Yankee fop like that.”