"Artful creature! you knew well, this warm night, that every girl of us would wear a light dress; so you wore a black one. How well you understand such matters! You are very clever; your real sensibility adds effect to your cleverness. I see how it is. Come into this corner. Have you got a fan? Good gracious! black, with gold spangles;--where _do_ you buy your things? I can tell you now," she continued, "my conversation on the bridge the other day." She hesitated, and asked me if I liked her new muslin. She did look well in it; it was a white fabric, with red rose-buds scattered over it. Her delicate face was shadowed by light brown curls. She was attractive, and I told her so, and she began again:-- "Harry Lothrop said, as he was impaling the half of a worm,-- "'Redmond is a handsome fellow, is he not?' "'He is too awfully thin,' I answered, 'but his eyes are good.' "He gave me a crafty side-look, like that of a parrot, when he means to bite your finger. "'Your friend, too,' he added, 'is really one of the most beautiful girls I ever saw,--a coquette with a heart.' "'Let down your line into the water,' I said. "He laughed a little laugh. By-the-by, there is an insidious tenacity about Mr. Harry Lothrop which irritates me; but I like him, for I think he understands women. I feel at ease with him, when he is not throwing out his tenacious feelers. Then he said,-- "'Redmond is engaged to his cousin. The girl's mother had the charge of him through his boyhood. He is ardently attached to her,--the mother, I mean. She is most anxious to call Redmond her son.' "'Didn't you have a bite?' I said. "'Well, I think the bait is off the hook,' he answered; and then we were silent and pondered the water. "There are some people I must speak to,"--and Laura moved away without looking at me. I opened my fan, but felt chilly. A bustle near me caused me to raise my eyes; Redmond was speaking to a lady. He was in black, too, and very pale. He turned toward me and our eyes met. His expression agitated me so that I unconsciously rose to my feet and warned him off with my fan; but he seemed rooted to the spot. Laura took care of us both; she came and stood between us. I saw her look at him so sweetly and so mournfully, that he understood her in a moment. He shook his head and walked abruptly into another room. Laura went again from me without giving me a look. Maurice came up and I made room for him beside me. We talked of the riding-party, and then of our first meeting at the ball. He told me that Redmond's boat had arrived, and what a famous boat it was, and "what jolly sprees we fellows had, cruising about with her." I asked him about his guitar, and when we might hear him play. He grew more chatty and began to tell me about his sister, when Redmond and Harry Lothrop came over to us, which ended his chat.