"No, it's not the latest," replied the secretary. "If it were, I should have said nothing. It's only a baseless fear; but a potent one." "Oh," Dumois turned ruefully to his plate. "He attracts her," resumed the secretary. "That is to be seen plainly--and she attracts him. That is as far as it has gone." "That is quite far," observed the tutor, glancing up hopefully. "Oh, no," said Armitage warmly. He paused, and then finding every one looking at him he applied himself to his luncheon not without confusion. "I wish I could agree with you," sighed Miss Hatch. "She is a dear girl. But you don't understand girls of her class. They have the queerest ideas." "Oh, I don't think they differ from other girls," said Mrs. Stetson. "It is merely that they have the actual opportunity for realizing what to other girls are mere dreams. I can imagine what my daughter would have done if a foreign nobleman had paid court to her. I will say this for Miss Wellington though; she would marry her chauffeur if she took the whim." Armitage, caught off his guard, looked up quickly. "You don't say!" he exclaimed, whereat every one laughed and Dawson shook his head in mock seriousness at him. "See here, young man, if you make an attempt to demonstrate Mrs. Stetson's theory, Ronald Wellington will drive you out of the country." Armitage laughed. "Well," he said, "I 'll pick Vienna." As they were leaving the table, Miss Hatch caught Armitage's eye. She had lingered behind the rest, bending over some ferns which showed signs of languishing. Her eyeglasses glittered humorously at Armitage as he sauntered carelessly to her side. "It is all right, Mr. McCall," she said. "All right?" "I mean the incident in the garage. Master Ronald applied vigorously for your discharge." Armitage smiled. "I imagined he would. The application was not sustained?" "Hardly. At first, of course, Mrs. Wellington was quite indignant. Then Miss Wellington came in and really she was a perfect fury in your behalf. She made Master Ronald confess he had been smoking and showed quite clearly that you were right." "Bully for her! As a matter of fact, I don't think it was any of my business. But that chap got on my nerves." "He gets on all our nerves. But I 'm quite sure he 's all right at heart. It's a disagreeable age in a boy." She paused and gazed steadily at Armitage for a second. "I cannot imagine why you are here, Mr. McCall. And yet--and yet, I wonder." She shrugged her shoulders. "Pray don't think me rude," she said and smiled, "but I really am--hoping. I can read Anne Wellington at times, and you--oh, I _am_ rude--but I seem to read you like an open book." Armitage was looking at her curiously, but obviously he was not offended. She stepped towards him impulsively. "Oh, Mr. Arm--McCall---" she stopped, blushing confusedly.