"Oh, pardon me!" exclaimed the newcomer, with such an elegant lift of her bony shoulders that it twisted her whole body. "I expected to see Belinda--that is--pardon me!--Miss Barry." "She's in the kitchen just at present. Won't you come in?" The newcomer accepted with alacrity, her prominent eyes openly scanning Mrs. Porter's costume. "I wouldn't have thought of intruding had I supposed Miss Barry had a guest. I didn't notice Jerry brought anybody." Another writhe, and a rearrangement of a long necklace of imitation coral beads, which suffered against the red plaid. "Yes, he brought happy me," returned Mrs. Porter, wondering whether, with the chowder so imminent, she should ask this guest to be seated. The newcomer relieved her of responsibility by sinking into the nearest chair. "Comin' for the summer?" she asked hurriedly, as though she felt that her time was short. "I don't know. It's a place to tempt one, isn't it?" "The views is called wonderful," returned the other modestly. "Of course, 't ain't for _us_ to call 'em sumtious, but artists _hev_ called 'em sumtious." "They deserve any praise," was the reply, and Mrs. Porter gave the speaker her sweet smile. "It's very difficult, one might almost say comple-cated, for visitin' folks to find any place to reside on the Cape. We ain't got any hotel." Pen fails to describe the elegant action of shoulders and eyebrows which accentuated this declaration, and Mrs. Porter's smile broadened. "I've understood so," she replied. "My name's Benslow," said the visitor, casting an apprehensive glance toward the dining-room. "I've got one o' these copious houses with so much more room than I can use that sometimes I _hev_--I _hev_ accawmodated parties. I suppose you're from the metrolopous." "Well, we think it is one. I'm from that wild Chicago!" "Oh, I s'posed it was Boston." Here Miss Barry entered, bearing a steaming tureen, which perfumed the atmosphere temptingly. "Hello, Luella," she said quietly. At the word the visitor started from her chair with guilty celerity, and brandished an empty cup she was carrying. "I hadn't an idea you was entertainin', Belinda, and you must excuse my walkin' right in on--on--" Miss Barry kept her eyes fixed imperturbably on the tureen, and turned to get a plate of crackers from a side table. "Mrs. Porter is my name," said the guest, taking pity on Miss Benslow's embarrassed writhings. "Oh, yes, on Mis' Porter. I just wanted to see if you could spare me a small portion of bakin' soda." "Why didn't you come to the back door as you do commonly?" "Why--why, the mornin' was so exhilaratin', I made sure you'd be watchin' the waves, and I thought it would expediate matters for me to come around front." An ingratiating smile revealed Miss Benslow's full set. "Just go right out and help yourself, Luella. You know where 't is, and you can let yourself out the back door. Come, Mrs. Porter, the chowder's good and hot."