he soothing dampness of the fog
as it came rolling in laden with the pungent fragrance of the salt
marshes.

He sat a long while in the darkness. Even the Bug Light, which shone
on ordinary nights from the tip end of Bluff Point, this evening
formed only a paler shade in the universal grayness.

His thoughts turned to the scene of the morning. He remembered the
wide-stretching purple of the sea, the yellow shell-strewn sand, the
patch of coarse grass on the bank against which Winifred Anstice
leaned. He remembered to have noted how perfectly her dun-colored
dress had harmonized with the environment, so much so, that, but for
the patch of red in her hat, he might have passed her as a part of the
inanimate nature of the beach. He remembered, too, the touch of her
hand on his shoulder there in the light-house, and the sound of her
voice as she counted the steps, "One--two--three--four." Then he fell
to thinking more closely than he had yet done of the girl
herself,--that curious blending of subtlety and simplicity, of reserve
and frankness; he had never seen anything quite like it. What a queer
coincidence that she should be a descendant of this Ruth, in the room
behind him! Now she spoke of it, there was a suggestion of
resemblance, faint, but haunting. This must have been the secret of
his desire to study her face again, and yet again, that day on the
pond, to determine the source of the sense of familiarity which even
their first meeting had given him.

How charming her frankness about the portrait had been! Ah, there the
recollection ceased to be altogether agreeable! He twisted a little in
his chair, and screwed the end of his moustache into his mouth, as he
recalled his own lack of response when the portrait was mentioned. Had
he been deceitful? No, certainly not that, for he had conveyed no
false impression by word or gesture. Disingenuous? Perhaps, but after
all he was in nowise pledged to equal frankness, because his companion
chose to be confidential. Suppose, though, Winifred Anstice should
come to the inn; should hear from old Marsden of the portrait; should
learn that it was hanging in his room, and he had made no sign!

The train of thought was perplexing, and not altogether pleasing.
Flint was not sorry to have it interrupted by a call upon his
attention in the appearance of two figures below, looming dim and
ghostlike in the fog. Just beneath his window, they paused in their
walk, and their voices came