brother and laughed.

"What do you and father and Baron von Marhof want with Mr. John
Armitage?" she asked.

"Guess again!" exclaimed Dick hurriedly. "Has that been the undercurrent
of your conversation? As I may have said before in this connection, you
disappoint me, Shirley. You seem unable to forget that fellow."

He paused, grew very serious, and bent forward in his wicker chair.

"Have you seen John Armitage since I saw him?"

"Impertinent! How dare you?"

"But Shirley, the question is fair!"

"Is it, Richard?"

"And I want you to answer me."

"That's different."

He rose and took several steps toward her. She stood against the railing
with her hands behind her back.

"Shirley, you are the finest girl in the world, but you wouldn't do
_this_--"

"This what, Dick?"

"You know what I mean. I ask you again--have you or have you not seen
Armitage since you came to the Springs?"

He spoke impatiently, his eyes upon hers. A wave of color swept her face,
and then her anger passed and she was her usual good-natured self.

"Baron von Marhof is a charming old gentleman, isn't he?"

"He's a regular old brick," declared Dick solemnly.

"It's a great privilege for a young man like you to know him, Dick, and
to have private talks with him and the governor--about subjects of deep
importance. The governor is a good deal of a man himself."

"I am proud to be his son," declared Dick, meeting Shirley's eyes
unflinchingly.

Shirley was silent for a moment, while Dick whistled a few bars from the
latest waltz.

"A captain--a mere captain of the line--is not often plucked out of his
post when in good health and standing--after a long leave for foreign
travel--and sent away to visit his parents--and help entertain a
distinguished Ambassador."

"Thanks for the 'mere captain,' dearest. You needn't rub it in."

"I wouldn't. But you are fair game--for your sister only! And you're
better known than you were before that little supper for the Spanish
attache. It rather directed attention to you, didn't it, Dick?"

Dick colored.

"It certainly did."

"And if you should meet Monsieur Chauvenet, who caused the trouble--"

"I have every intention of meeting him!"

"Oh!"

"Of course, I shall meet him--some time, somewhere. He's at the Springs,
isn't he?"

"Am I a hotel register that I should know? I haven't seen him for several
days."

"What I should like to see," said Dick, "is a meeting between Armitage
an