Vane vowed to keep a tighter rein on his thoughts thereafter; and they came to a little glade in the wood, where the servants were laying table-cloths on the turf. The dinner was very gay. Some ladies screamed when a daddy-longlegs ran into the lobster salad, but an occasional pine-needle, falling into a glass of champagne, seemed but to add to its flavor. It was considered _de rigueur_ to sit upon the grass; but most of the men found it very awkward to assume attitudes of any decorative value, and the college student in particular was heard to wonder audibly how the deuce the Romans did it. After the feast, the company divided itself into couples and scattered in the woods. Miss Thomas did not leave the table; and Mrs. Gower felt obliged to wait for the last. Wemyss stayed with her. As Vane passed behind Miss Thomas, she called him to her. "I have something to tell you to-day." "Will not some other time do?" said Vane, "I am getting a glass of wine for Mrs. Gower." The girl looked at him, but did not seem to take offence. "I may never tell you, if I do not tell you to-day," she answered, seriously, in a low voice. Vane looked at her surprised; she bore his gaze for half a second, and then let her own eyes drop. The student was looking on with parted lips. "Oh, Mr. Bronson," said she, immediately, "I wish you would get me a glass of champagne--and seltzer, too!" She said the "too" with an inflection that made it sound like _do_. The youth departed on his errand; and Vane also left, saying that he would be back in a moment; but he was saved a double journey by observing that some one else had brought Mrs. Gower her wine and had taken his seat beside her. Vane returned to Miss Thomas, passing rapidly over in his mind what had happened in the four months since he had asked her that fatal question, and trying to decide upon a course of action for himself. She had made no effort to have him speak to her before to-day. But by her presence the picnic was quite saved from insignificance. "I have come back, Miss Thomas," he said, seriously. "What can you have to tell me?" Miss Thomas looked at the tent, before which Bronson was standing--waiting for her seltzer. Most of the guests had left the place, and the servants were clearing away the dinner. The moon was just rising. "Will you not come for a walk?" said Vane. Miss Thomas gave him her hand, and he helped her to her feet. "I am forgetting your wine," he said, afterwards. He was ill at ease and nervous.