Mrs. Pasmer. "I ought to say, 'An ice,
please,' but I'm really hungry, and--"

"I'll get you some of the salad," said Mr. Mavering, with the increased
liking a man feels for a woman when she owns to an appetite. "Sit down
here," he added, and he caught a vacant chair toward her. When he turned
about from doing so, he confronted a young gentleman coming up to
Mrs. Pasmer with a young lady on his arm, and making a very low bow of
relinquishment.

II.

The men looked smilingly at each other without saying anything; and the
younger took in due form the introduction which the young lady gave him.

"My mother, Mr. Mavering."

"Mr. Mavering!" cried Mrs. Pasmer, in a pure astonishment, before
she had time to colour it with a polite variety of more conventional
emotions. She glanced at the two men, and gave a little "Oh?" of inquiry
and resignation, and then said, demurely, "Let me introduce you to Mr.
Mavering, Alice," while the young fellow laughed nervously, and pulled
out his handkerchief, partly to hide the play of his laughter, and
partly to wipe away the perspiration which a great deal more laughing
had already gathered on his forehead. He had a vein that showed
prominently down its centre, and large, mobile, girlish blue eyes under
good brows, an arched nose, and rather a long face and narrow chin. He
had beautiful white teeth; as he laughed these were seen set in a jaw
that contracted very much toward the front. He was tall and slim, and he
wore with elegance the evening dress which Class Day custom prescribes
for the Seniors; in his button-hole he had a club button.

"I shall not have to ask an introduction to Mr. Mavering; and you've
robbed me of the pleasure of giving him one to you, Mrs. Pasmer," he
said.

She heard the young man in the course of a swift review of what she had
said to his father, and with a formless resentment of the father's not
having told her he had a son there; but she answered with the flattering
sympathy she had the use of, "Oh, but you won't miss one pleasure out
of so many to-day, Mr. Mavering; and think of the little dramatic
surprise!"

"Oh, perfect," he said, with another laugh. "I told Miss Pasmer as we
came up."

"Oh, then you were in the surprise, Alice!" said Mrs. Pasmer, searching
her daughter's eyes for confession or denial of this little community
of interest. The girl smiled slightly upon the young man, but not
disapprovingly, and made no other answer to her moth