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Na…hancy Lee！〃
〃HAY； there； old lady！〃 he would bellow。 〃Tell 'em to play 'In the Gloaming。'
In the gloaming； oh； my darling； la…la…lum…teeWell； if they don't know that；
what's the matter with 'Larboard Watch； Ahoy'？ THAT'S good music！ That's the
kind o' music I like！ Come on； now！ Mrs。 Callin； get 'em singin' down in
your part o' the table。 What's the matter you folks down there； anyway？
Larboard watch； ahoy！〃
〃What joy he feels； asta…tum…dum…tee…dee…dum steals。 La…a…r…board watch；
ahoy！〃
No external bubbling contributed to this effervescence； the Sheridans' table
had never borne wine； and； more because of timidity about it than conviction；
it bore none now； though 〃mineral waters〃 were copiously poured from bottles
wrapped； for some reason； in napkins； and proved wholly satisfactory to almost
all of the guests。 And certainly no wine could have inspired more turbulent
good spirits in the host。 Not even Bibbs was an alloy in this night's
happiness； for； as Mrs。 Sheridan had said； he had 〃plans for Bibbs〃plans
which were going to straighten out some things that had gone wrong。
So he pounded the table and boomed his echoes of old songs； and then；
forgetting these； would renew his friendly railleries； or perhaps； turning to
Mary Vertrees； who sat near him； round the corner of the table at his right；
he would become autobiographical。 Gentlemen less naive than he had paid her
that tribute； for she was a girl who inspired the autobiographical impulse in
every man who met herit needed but the sight of her。
The dinner seemed； somehow； to center about Mary Vertrees and the jocund host
as a play centers about its hero and heroine； they were the rubicund king and
the starry princess of this spectaclethey paid court to each other； and
everybody paid court to them。 Down near the sugar Pump Works； where Bibbs
sat； there was audible speculation and admiration。 〃Wonder who that lady
ismakin' such a hit with the old man。〃 〃Must be some heiress。〃 〃Heiress？
Golly； I guess I could stand it to marry rich； then！〃
Edith and Sibyl were radiant： at first they had watched Miss Vertrees with an
almost haggard anxiety； wondering what disasterous effect Sheridan's pastoral
gaietiesand other thingswould have upon her； but she seemed delighted with
everything； and with him most of all。 She treated him as if he were some
delicious； foolish old joke that she understood perfectly； laughing at him
almost violently when he braggedprobably his first experience of that kind
in his life。 It enchanted him。
As he proclaimed to the table； she had 〃a way with her。〃 She had； indeed； as
Roscoe Sheridan； upon her right； discovered just after the feast began。 Since
his marriage three years before； no lady had bestowed upon him so protracted a
full view of brilliant eyes； and； with the look； his lovely neighbor saidand
it was her first speech to him
〃I hope you're very susceptible； Mr。 Sheridan！〃
Honest Roscoe was taken aback； and 〃Why？〃 was all he managed to say。
She repeated the look deliberately； which was noted； with a mystification
equal to his own； by his sister across the table。 No one； reflected Edith；
could image Mary Vertrees the sort of girl who would 〃really flirt〃 with
married menshe was obviously the 〃opposite of all that。〃 Edith defined her
as a 〃thoroughbred；〃 a 〃nice girl〃； and the look given to Roscoe was
astounding。 Roscoe's wife saw it； too； and she was another whom it puzzled
though not because its recipient was married。
〃Because！〃 said Mary Vertrees； replying to Roscoe's monosyllable。 〃And also
because we're next…door neighbors at table； and it's dull times ahead for both
of us if we don't get along。〃
Roscoe was a literal young man； all stocks and bonds； and he had been brought
up to believe that when a man married he 〃married and settled down。〃 It was
〃all right；〃 he felt； for a man as old as his father to pay florid compliments
to as pretty a girl as this Miss Vertrees； but for himself〃a young married
man〃it wouldn't do； and it wouldn't even be quite moral。 He knew that young
married people might have friendships； like his wife's for Lamhorn； but Sibyl
and Lamhorn never 〃flirted〃they were always very matter…of…fact with each
other。 Roscoe would have been troubled if Sibyl had ever told Lamhorn she
hoped he was susceptible。
〃Yeswe're neighbors；〃 he said； awkwardly。
〃Next…door neighbors in houses； too；〃 she added。
〃No； not exactly。 I live across the street。〃
〃Why； no！〃 she exclaimed； and seemed startled。 〃Your mother told me this
afternoon that you lived at home。〃
〃Yes； of course I live at home。 I built that new house across the street。〃
〃But you〃 she paused； confused； and then slowly a deep color came into her
cheek。 〃But I understood〃
〃No；〃 he said； 〃my wife and I lived with the old folks the first year； but
that's all。 Edith and Jim live with them； of course。〃
〃II see；〃 she said； the deep color still deepening as she turned from him
and saw； written upon a card before the gentleman at her left the name； 〃Mr。
James Sheridan； Jr。〃 And from that moment Roscoe had little enough cause for
wondering what he ought to reply to her disturbing coquetries。
Mr。 James Sheridan had been anxiously waiting for the dazzling visitor to 〃get
through with old Roscoe；〃 as he thought of it； and give a bachelor a chance。
〃Old Roscoe〃 was the younger； but he had always been the steady wheel…horse of
the family。 Jim was 〃steady〃 enough； but was considered livelier than Roscoe；
which in truth is not saying much for Jim's liveliness。 As their father
habitually boasted； both brothers were 〃capable； hard…working young business
men；〃 and the principal difference between them was merely that which resulted
from Jim's being still a bachelor。 Physically they were of the same type：
dark of eyes and of hair； fresh…colored and thick…set； and though Roscoe was
several inches taller than Jim； neither was of the height； breadth； or depth
of the father。 Both wore young business men's mustaches； and either could
have sat for the tailor…shop lithographs of young business men wearing 〃rich
suitings in dark mixtures。〃
Jim； approving warmly of his neighbor's profile； perceived her access of
color； which increased his approbation。 〃What's that old Roscoe saying to
you； Miss Vertrees？〃 he asked。 〃These young married men are mighty forward
nowadays； but you mustn't let 'em make you blush。〃
〃Am I blushing？〃 she said。 〃Are you sure？〃 And with that she gave him ample
opportunity to make sure； repeating with interest the look wasted upon Roscoe。
〃I think you must be mistaken；〃 she continued。 〃I think it's your brother who
is blushing。 I've thrown him into confusion。〃
〃How？〃
She laughed； and then； leaning to him a little； said in a tone as confidential
as she could make it； under cover of the uproar。 〃By trying to begin with him
a courtship I meant for YOU！〃
This might well be a style new to Jim； and it was。 He supposed it a
nonsensical form of badinage； and yet it took his breath。 He realized that he
wished what she said to be the literal truth； and he was instantly snared by
that realization。
〃By George！〃 he said。 〃I guess you're the kind of girl that can say anything
yes； and get away with it； too！〃
She laughed againin her way； so that he could not tell whether she was
laughing at him or at herself or at the nonsense she was talking； and she
said： 〃But you see I don't care whether I get away with it or not。 I wish
you'd tell me frankly if you think I've got a change to get away with YOU？〃
〃More like if you've got a chance to get away FROM me！〃 Jim was inspired to
reply。 〃Not one in the world； especially after beginning by making fun of me
like that。〃
〃I mightn't be so much in fun as you think；〃 she said； regarding him with
sudden gravity。
〃Well；〃 said Jim； in simple honesty； 〃you're a funny girl！〃
Her gravity continued an instant longer。 〃I may not turn out to be funny for
YOU。〃
〃So long as you turn out to be anything at all for me； I expect I can manage
to be satisfied。〃 And with that； to his own surprise； it was his turn to
blush； whereupon she laughed again。
〃Yes；〃 he said； plaintively； not wholly lacking intuition； 〃I can see you're
the sort of girl that would laugh the minute you see a man really means
anything！〃
〃'Laugh'！〃 she cried； gaily。 〃Why； it might be a matter of life and death！
But if you want tragedy； I'd better put the question at once； considering the
mistake I made with your brother。〃
Jim was dazed。 She seemed to be playing a little game of mockery and nonsense
with him； but he had glimpses of a flashing danger in it； he was but too
sensible of being outclassed； and had somewhere a consciousness that he could
never quite know this giddy and alluring lady； no matter how long it pleased
her to play with him。 Bu