"What are you two quarreling about--what will Miss Marbury not be convinced of?" Miss Tyler broke in. "That your Maryland has anything to offer a man--a man who had lived all his life in England," said Parkington. "It would depend much on the man." Sir Edward nodded. "Suppose we were discussing myself. "You? oh, la!" and went into a gale of laughter. "Evidently you are not convinced," Parkington observed. "Surely, you are not serious?" she demanded. "Not if every one is as enthusiastic as Miss Tyler and Miss Marbury," said Parkington, with affected indignation. Captain Herford, across the table, had been attracted by the merriment; now he broke in. "I say, what is the enthusiasm--what is it?" "The ebullitions of a quiet spirit," said Parkington, quickly. "Oh, is that all?" Herford rejoined. "I thought, from Miss Tyler's quiet laugh, that it was the ebullitions of a ghost." "You were not asked to think anything about it," Miss Tyler retorted. "Stay on your own side of the table, will you?" "Bravo!" cried Parkington. "Come again, Captain Herford, come again!" Herford shook his head. "The lady is in a bit of a temper. I best wait until the storm subsides," he said, and turned away indifferently. "There is something about that man which always gets on my nerves," Miss Tyler remarked, lowering her voice. "I do not know what it is, and I reckon I should not let it affect me, but it does." "Cultivate the placid disposition," Miss Marbury recommended. "Oh, that is very well for you to say, but it is not easy to do. You have not any nerves,--you would not get excited if the house were burning." "Do not try me, I beg of you!" laughed Judith. "I would be sure to carry down all the pillows, and to throw the chinaware out the second story windows." "Well, I only wish I had your placidity--not to be always on edge. There is nothing the matter with Captain Herford, I suppose; I just take him wrong.--I always have. But, frankly, Judith, he is not to my liking--though I should not say it to you, the hostess." Judith Marbury made a little motion of indifference. "Say anything you like, my dear; he is George's guest, not mine." "You do not like him, either?" "I neither like nor dislike him--I am totally indifferent." "But you are always nice to him!--however, you are always nice to every one. Has he ever tried to make love to you?" "Oh, yes! he has tried it with all the girls. At present, he is mad about Martha Stirling." "Half the men of the Province are mad about her--and with just cause, too, I grant. But they will get over it--the minute the ship, that bears her back to England, passes Greenbury Point." "You think that none of them could persuade her to remain?" "It is as unlikely as that Sir Edward himself will remain." "Governor Sharpe has bought Whitehall;"--Miss Marbury objected--"he will become one of us when his term expires." "But his niece will not," said Miss Tyler. "He seeks rest and ease, she pleasure and excitement."