end, to the right of the host, was the girl with the
amber eyes. The novelist was at her side. Evidently he had said
something amusing, for they were both laughing; he with the complacency
of one who has said a good thing, and she with the appreciation of one
accustomed to wit. But Tristrem was not permitted to watch her
undisturbed. Mrs. Weldon had a right to his attention, and she exercised
that right with the pertinacity of a fly that has to be killed to be got
rid of. "What do you think of Miss Finch?" she asked, with her stealthy
giggle.

"Her name isn't Finch," Tristrem answered, indignantly.

"Yes it is, too--Flossy Finch, her name is; as if I oughtn't to know!
Why, we were at Mrs. Garret and Mlle. de l'Entresol's school together
for years and years. What makes you say her name isn't Finch? I had you
here on purpose to meet her. Did you ever see such hair? There's only
one girl in New York----"

"It _is_ black," Tristrem assented.

"Black! Why, you must be crazy; it's orange, and that dress of hers----"

Tristrem looked down the table and saw a young lady whom he had not
noticed before. Her hair, as Mrs. Weldon had said, was indeed the color
of orange, though of an orange not over-ripe. "I thought you meant that
girl next to Royal," he said.

"That! Oh! that's Miss Raritan."

Mrs. Weldon's voice had changed. Evidently Miss Raritan did not arouse
in her the same enthusiasm as did Miss Finch. For a moment her lips lost
their chromo smile, but presently it returned again, and she piped away
anew on the subject of the charms of Flossy Finch, and after an
interlude, of which Tristrem heard not one word, she turned and
cross-questioned the man on her left.

The conversation had become very animated. From Royal's end of the table
came intermittent shrieks of laughter. The novelist was evidently in his
finest form. "Do you mean to tell me," Miss Finch asked him across the
table, "do you mean to say that you don't believe in platonic
affection?"

"I never uttered such a heresy in my life," the novelist replied. "Of
course I believe in it; I believe in it thoroughly--between husband and
wife."

At this everyone laughed again, except Tristrem, who had not heard, and
Mrs. Weldon, who had not understood. The latter, however, felt that Miss
Finch was distinguishing herself, and she turned to Tristrem anew.

"I want you to make yourself very agreeable to her," she said. "She is
just the girl for you. Don't you th