after."

Orde was for taking his leave, but this she would not have.

"You must meet my family," she negatived. "For if you're here for
so short a time we want to see something of you. Come right out
now."

Orde thereupon followed her down a narrow, dark hall, squeezed
between the stairs and the wall, to a door that opened slantwise
into a dining-room the exact counterpart in shape to the parlour at
the other side of the house. Only in this case the morning sun and
more diaphanous curtains lent an air of brightness, further enhanced
by a wire stand of flowers in the bow-windows.

The centre of the room was occupied by a round table, about which
were grouped several people of different ages. With her back to the
bow-window sat a woman well beyond middle age, but with evidently
some pretensions to youth. She was tall, desiccated, quick in
movement. Dark rings below her eyes attested either a nervous
disease, an hysterical temperament, or both. Immediately at her
left sat a boy of about fourteen years of age, his face a curious
contradiction between a naturally frank and open expression and a
growing sullenness. Next him stood a vacant chair, evidently for
Miss Bishop. Opposite lolled a young man, holding a newspaper in
one hand and a coffee cup in the other. He was very handsome, with
a drooping black moustache, dark eyes, under lashes almost too
luxuriant, and a long, oval face, dark in complexion, and a trifle
sardonic in expression. In the VIS-A-VIS to Mrs. Bishop, Orde was
surprised to find his ex-military friend of the street car. Miss