"At the same time, Miss Carrie, suppose you secure little Belle to take my place. I do not feel equal to cards this evening." Whereupon Ben burst into hearty laughter. "Amusement under difficulties, upon my word!" he said, as soon as he could speak. "What shall be done with them, Carrie?" "Oh, well!" Carrie said, returning to her seat with an offended air. "Since you are all disposed to be so very accommodating, you may entertain yourselves. I'm sure I shall make no farther attempt. It is the first time I ever knew you, Freem Vance, to decline cards. You are playing a new game to-night, I should think." Whereunto this embarrassing and ill-humored conversation would have grown, I cannot tell you; for at that point occurred an interruption, in the shape of a summons for Ben. His father desired to see him at once, in the library, on a matter of business. And no sooner had he, with a little good-humored grumbling, departed, than Carrie unceremoniously left the room by another door, and the two guests were alone together. I am aware that I have had to present Miss Carrie to you in a very unfavorable light. As a rule, she was good-humored and ladylike, and, being a year or two older than Elsie, was in the habit of being looked up to by her. But, being a young woman without a settled purpose of life or a guiding motive for speech or action, she was left, more or less, at the mercy of the passing mood; and the excitements of the past few days had served to unsettle her nerves to an unusual degree. Left to themselves, an embarrassing silence followed. Elsie did not know how to commence a conversation with this cultured man of the world; especially, after the experiences of the last hour. It was he who finally led the way: "Would you mind giving me some of your objections to card-playing for amusement? I think I am not well posted as you suppose your cousin to be." There was neither banter nor sarcasm in his voice; instead, he seemed to be in earnest. But Elsie, full of sparkling logic for the boys and girls, was unused to arguing with a gentleman, and hesitated. "Don't they become snares to some young men, and lead them into temptation and misery sometimes?" she said at last. He seemed surprised at the answer, and waited a moment before he said, "I think they do; but it does not seem to me that your cousin Ben is tempted in that direction."