I felt as if I could not lift my eyes to look at the man my mother-in-law indicated, and yet I knew I must glance casually at him if I were to avert the displeased suspicion which I already saw creeping into her eyes.

When my eyes met his he gave not the slightest sign that he knew I was looking at him, simply continued his steady gaze, which had something of wistful mournfulness in it.  I averted my eyes as quickly as possible, and tried to look absolutely unconcerned.

“I am sure he cannot be looking at me,” I said, lightly.  “I do not know him at all.”

I hoped that my mother-in-law would not notice my evasion, but she was too quick for me.

“You may not know him, but have you ever seen him before?” she asked, shrewdly.

“Really, mother,” Dicky interposed, his face darkening, “you’re going a little too far with that catechism.  Madge says she doesn’t know the man, that settles it.  By the way, Madge, is he annoying you?  If he is, I can settle him in about two seconds.”

“Oh, no,” I said nervously, “I don’t think the man’s really looking at me at all; he’s simply gazing out into space, thinking, and happens to be facing this way.  It would be supremely ridiculous to call him to account for it.”

My mother-in-law snorted, but made no further comment, evidently silenced by Dicky’s reproof.

I may have imagined it, but it seemed to me that Dicky looked at me a little curiously when I protested my belief that the man was simply absorbed in thought and not looking at me at all.

When we were dallying with the curiously moulded ices which Dicky had ordered for dessert, I saw his eyes light up as he caught sight of some one he evidently knew.

“Pardon me just a minute, will you?” he said, turning to his mother and me, apologetically, “I see Bob Simonds over there with a bunch of fellows.  Haven’t seen him in a coon’s age.  He’s been over across the pond in the big mixup.  Didn’t know he was back.  I don’t want any more of this ice, anyway, and when the waiter comes, order cheese, coffee and a cordial for us all.”

He was gone in another instant, making his way with the swift, debonair grace which is always a part of Dicky, to the group of men at a table not far from ours, who welcomed him joyously.

My mother-in-law’s eyes followed mine, and I knew that for once, at least, we were of one mind, and that mind was full of pride in the man so dear to, us both.  He was easily the most distinguished figure at the table full of men who greeted him so joyously.  I knew that his mother noted with me how cordial was the welcome each man gave Dicky, how they all seemed to defer to him and hang upon his words.

Then across my vision came a picture most terrifying to me.  It was as if my mother-in-law and I were spectators of a series of motion picture films.  Toward the table, where Dicky stood surrounded by his friends, there sauntered the mysterious stranger, who had attracted my mother-in-law’s attention by his scrutiny of me.