For a space she sat there, her forehead wrinkled in a frown. She did not hear the voices at the front door, nor the footsteps that crossed the hall, until they entered the room; then she glanced up, and a smile of welcome shone from her eyes, as the man, who was in her thoughts, stood before her. "Mr. Maynadier!" she said, extending her hand across the table. He bowed over it with easy grace. "His Excellency leaves a fair deputy." "And what can that deputy do for you?" "Much," he said. "Much that I dare not even hope. So I'll ask for only that package on the table, there." "Take it," she said--"take anything." "Anything on the table, that is?" The smile rippled into a laugh. "Take anything in the room," she said; "there is none of them mine." He drew a chair up to the table. "May I," he said, "sit here a moment, while the Council waits?" "If you wish," she answered; "you will have to answer to the Council." He leaned back, and looked at her silently. "Miss Stirling," he said, presently, "you are a flirt." "What is that to you, sir?" she demanded. He ignored the question. "You have half the young men of Annapolis ready to pink one another, and praying but for an excuse." "Again, sir, what is that to you?" "You have Mr. Hammond, and Mr. Paca, and Mr. Jennings, and Mr. Constable, and Captain Herford mad about you." She gave him her sweetest smile. "You have forgotten Mr. Richard Maynadier," she said. "Mr. Maynadier is not in the running. He is content to look on----" "With an occasional word of advice," she cut in. "With an occasional word of advice," he agreed. "Meanwhile, content to stand afar off and view the struggle." She put both elbows on the table and leaned across. "Why view it from afar," she said, sweetly; "why not join in the struggle?" "For several reasons," he said. "First, I am too old." "I should never have guessed it." "Second, I have not the graces that are requisite." "I had not noticed it." "And, lastly, I have not the inclination." "That, I should never have guessed." "No, I suppose not. We all are game for a pretty woman. Let a man but bow and kiss her hand, and, behold! another suitor." She sat up sharply. "Mr. Maynadier, I will make a compact with you," she said. "You say you are too old, have not the graces, and have not the inclination--so be it. A flirt may have her friends. We will be comrades--I to use no art of coquetry upon you, you to speak no word of love to me. Is it a bargain?" He regarded her with an amused smile. "If you wish it," he said. "I think we both of us are safe enough without it--though, who knows. At any rate, the flag of truce will hold us.... Now, I will back to the Council. I will see you at the races, to-morrow, of course." "Yes; and I have a pistole or two which you may put on Figaro for me," she said, accompanying him to the door. She stood and watched him, as he went down the walk toward North-East Street, and disappeared.