“Ah, Mr. Hamilton. My name is Knight. This lady,” turning to the spinster, “is my sister, and this gay young woman,” with a fond glance into the pretty face beside him, “to whom you have just rendered so signal a service, allow me to introduce as Miss Alexander, Mr. Hamilton.” The young couple acknowledged the introduction, though with heightened color, and then Mr. Knight motioned them to their seats, while Mr. Webster, feeling somewhat chagrined to find that he was being left in the lurch, hastened on to the vacant place farther down, giving his friend a comical glance of recognized defeat as he passed. Rupert found his new acquaintances very delightful people. Even the spinster, whom he and Webster had laughingly pronounced a “female ogre,” proved to be a lady of rare culture and an exceedingly entertaining companion. He was seated beside her, consequently his conversation was mostly with her, although Miss Alexander was his _vis-à-vis_, and he found it almost impossible to keep his eyes away from her dimpled, expressive face. “How are you enjoying your journey thus far, Mr. Hamilton?” Mr. Knight inquired, during the meal. “Very much, thank you, although I have no doubt I should enjoy it much better if I were not quite such a stranger to the party.” “We are all strangers for that matter,” returned the elder gentleman. “I have noticed that you and your young friend keep much by yourselves; but you must stir about and get acquainted.” “One does not like to intrude upon family parties,” Rupert replied, modestly. “You must not stand upon formality. I have tried to impress that upon my sister here, who is a trifle shy about making new acquaintances; but in such a company as this we all expect to become acquainted with each other, and we shall enjoy our trip much better than to be ceremonious. At all events, I have broken the ice for you; I find it pleasant to have young people about me, and shall be glad to know you better. Eh, Virgie, it has been a little lonely, hasn’t it, to have only two old fogies to talk to?” and Mr. Knight turned, with a roguish twinkle in his eyes, to the fair maiden at his side. The young girl shot a quick glance at Rupert, a charming smile wreathing her red lips. Then her cheeks began to dimple and her eyes to gleam with mirth. “I know of one ‘old fogy’ who is fishing for a compliment,” she retorted, with a saucy toss of her bright head, “and who has been speaking two words for himself and one for others. I know what he wants. Mr. Hamilton, do you play whist? Because if you do,” she went on, archly, without waiting for him to reply, “and are fond of it, it will be all right; for you will doubtless be invited by my guardian to ‘take a hand,’ and once committed, look out for yourself; he is an inveterate player, and he has no mercy on his foes.”