"He's really a charming Irishman when he keeps off his one string," Paula went on. "Which, I think I am fair, is music," Graham said. "And on music he is insufferable," Lute observed. "It's the only thing he doesn't know the least thing about. He drives one frantic." "Never mind," Paula soothed, in gurgling tones. "You will all be avenged. Dick just whispered to me to get the philosophers up to-morrow night. You know how they talk music. A musical critic is their awful prey." "Terrence said the other night that there was no closed season on musical critics," Lute contributed. "Terrence and Aaron will drive him to drink," Paula laughed her joy of anticipation. "And Dar Hyal, alone, with his blastic theory of art, can specially apply it to music to the confutation of all the first words and the last. He doesn't believe a thing he says about blastism, any more than was he serious when he danced the other evening. It's his bit of fun. He's such a deep philosopher that he has to get his fun somehow." "And if O'Hay ever locks horns with Terrence," Lute prophesied, "I can see Terrence tucking arm in arm with him, leading him down to the stag room, and heating the argument with the absentest-minded variety of drinks that ever O'Hay accomplished." "Which means a very sick O'Hay next day," Paula continued her gurgles of anticipation. "I'll tell him to do it!" exclaimed Lute. "You mustn't think we're all bad," Paula protested to Graham. "It's just the spirit of the house. Dick likes it. He's always playing jokes himself. He relaxes that way. I'll wager, right now, it was Dick's suggestion, to Lute, and for Lute to carry out, for Terrence to get O'Hay into the stag room. Now, 'fess up, Lute." "Well, I will say," Lute answered with meticulous circumspection, "that the idea was not entirely original with me." At this point, Ernestine joined them and appropriated Graham with: "We're all waiting for you. We've cut, and you and I are partners. Besides, Paula's making her sleep noise. So say good night, and let her go." Paula had left for bed at ten o'clock. Not till one did the bridge break up. Dick, his arm about Ernestine in brotherly fashion, said good night to Graham where one of the divided ways led to the watch tower, and continued on with his pretty sister-in-law toward her quarters. "Just a tip, Ernestine," he said at parting, his gray eyes frankly and genially on hers, but his voice sufficiently serious to warn her. "What have I been doing now?" she pouted laughingly. "Nothing... as yet. But don't get started, or you'll be laying up a sore heart for yourself. You're only a kid yet--eighteen; and a darned nice, likable kid at that. Enough to make 'most any man sit up and take notice. But Evan Graham is not 'most any man--" "Oh, I can take care of myself," she blurted out in a fling of quick resentment.