Unconsciously their tones--he narrating, she commenting upon the narrative--became soft. Their glances, too, seemed to say something more than words. Both, in fact, were back again in imagination, roaming the wilds together, alone. They seemed to lose themselves in the recollection, oblivious of the presence of a third party. The said third party, however, was by no means oblivious of them. Her ear weighed every tone, her keen eye noted every glance, every expression, and she grew proportionately venomous. Yet, looking at the man, she could hardly wonder at Nidia's preference, and the uncomfortable consciousness was forced upon her that whoever might be the object of it, this man or any other, her own feeling would be just the same--one of acute powerless jealousy, to wit, that any should ever stand before herself in her darling's preferences. "Don't go," said Nidia, putting forth a hand to detain him, for his story had run on late, and he was rising with an apology. "Stay and have dinner with us. It's siege fare, but even then a little more varied than our precarious ration under the rocks--not that one did not positively enjoy that at the time," she added with a laugh. He joined in. "Did you? I'm sure I did. Considering we were without any adjuncts, your cooking was marvellous, Nidia." "Nidia" again! Heavens! It had come to that, then! Susie Bateman's hair nearly rose on end. "Well, you shall see if it is any better now," went on the girl, airily. "Oh, I do hope none of those stupid men will drop in. I want to have a nice long talk." "You haven't found them so stupid up till now, Nidia," struck in Susie Bateman. "Why, there isn't an evening some of them haven't been in to cheer us up." This for the benefit of John Ames, to whom the speaker divined it might in some way not be palatable. He for his part noted that she did not second the invitation, but he had reached that stage when he really didn't care to consider any Susie Bateman overmuch. Wherefore he accepted. But the latter, for her part, was resolved to pursue the campaign, and that vigorously, and to this end she never left them for one moment alone together. Likewise was she rather oftener than necessary very emphatic in referring to "Miss Commerell;" and when, later on, some of "those stupid men" did drop in, her joy was unbounded, equally so that they stayed late enough to leave John Ames no pretext for sitting them out.