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"Lord love us--three whole days at Skuytercliff!" Beaufort was saying in his loud sneering voice as Archer entered "You'd better take all your furs, and a hot-water-bottle"

"Why? Is the house so cold?" she asked, holding out her left hand to Archer in a waythat she expected him to kiss it

"No; but theht her so kind She cao"

"Granny would, of course And I say it's a sha to miss the little oyster supper I'd planned for you at Delmonico's next Sunday, with Campanini and Scalchi and a lot of jolly people"

She looked doubtfully from the banker to Archer

"Ah--that does te at Mrs Struthers's I've not le artist since I've been here"

"What kind of artists? I know one or two painters, very good fellows, that I could bring to see you if you'd allow me," said Archer boldly

"Painters? Are there painters in New York?" asked Beaufort, in a tone i that there could be none since he did not buy their pictures; and Madarave s of draers, actors, musicians My husband's house was always full of them"

She said the words "my husband" as if no sinister associations were connected with theh over the lost delights of herif it were lightness or dissimulation that enabled her to touch so easily on the past at the veryher reputation in order to break with it

"I do think," she went on, addressing both men, "that the imprevu adds to one's enjoyment It's perhaps a mistake to see the same people every day"

"It's confoundedly dull, anyho York is dying of dullness," Beaufort gruo back on me Come--think better of it! Sunday is your last chance, for Campanini leaves next week for Baltimore and Philadelphia; and I've a private rooht for me"

"How delicious! May I think it over, and write to you to?"

She spoke amiably, yet with the least hint of dis unused to dis at her with an obstinate line between his eyes

"Why not now?"