"I think I understand!" Croyden laughed. "Before you came, she tackled me on Art, and, when I confessed to only the commercial side, and an intention to sell the Stuart and Peale, which, it seems, are at Clarendon, the pitying contempt was almost too much for me." "My Lord! why weren't we here!" exclaimed Byrd. "She's coming out to inspect my 'treasures,' on Thursday morning." "Self invited?" "I rather think so." "And you?" "I shall turn her over to Moses, and decamp before she gets there." "Gentlemen, we are waiting!" came Miss Erskine's voice. "Oh, Lord! the old dragoon!" said Leigh. "I trust I'm not at her table." And he was not--Miss Tilghman and Dangerfield were designated. "Come over and help to keep me straight," Croyden whispered to Miss Carrington. She shook her head at him with a roguish smile. "You'll find your partner amply able to keep you straight," she answered. The game began. Miss Tilghman won the cut and made it a Royal Spade. "They no longer play Royal Spades in New York," said Miss Erskine. "Don't know about New York," returned Miss Tilghman, placidly, "but _we're_ playing them here, this evening. Your lead, Miss Amelia." The latter shut her thick lips tightly, an instant. "Oh, well, I suppose we must be provincial a little longer," she said, sarcastically. "Of course, you do not still play Royal Spades in Northumberland, Mr. Croyden." "Yes, indeed! Play anything to keep the game moving," Croyden answered. "Oh, to be sure! I forgot, for the instant, that Northumberland _is_ a rapid town.--I call that card, Edith--the King of Hearts!" as Miss Tilghman inadvertently exposed it. A moment later, Miss Tilghman, through anger, also committed a revoke, which her play on the succeeding trick disclosed. That it was a game for pure pleasure, without stakes, made no difference to Miss Erskine. Technically it was a revoke, and she was within her rights when she exclaimed it. "Three tricks!" she said exultantly, "and you cannot make game this hand." "I'm very sorry, partner," Miss Tilghman apologized. "It's entirely excusable under the circumstances," said Dangerfield, with deliberate accent. "You may do it again!" "How courteous Mr. Dangerfield is," Miss Erskine smiled. "To my mind, nothing excuses a revoke except sudden blindness." "And you would claim it even then, I suppose?" Dangerfield retorted. "I said, sudden blindness was the only excuse, Mr. Dangerfield. Had you observed my language more closely, you doubtless would have understood.--It is your lead, partner." Dangerfield, with a wink at Croyden, subsided, and the hand was finished, as was the next, when Croyden was dummy, without further jangling. But midway in the succeeding hand, Miss Erskine began.