Yet there were times when she assumed a coquettish air, which seemed to invite him to more serious flirtation, but this wa* invariably when Graham was present, and appeared to be observing her. ‘Now,’ said Bertram to himself, ‘there are two courses for the male spoon to pursue; either to clear out of the place altogether, or to follow the female spoon’s lead.’ Graham adopted the latter course, and harnessed himself to the car of a handsome young widow, who dressed gorgeously, rode fear lessly, talked slangily, danced • untiringly, and sat down to play. The manners of the little English com munity assembled at Spa were very much relaxed from the standard set up by each in dividual member at home. Persons, even of different sexes, spoke to one another without a formal introduction; young ladies danced sometimes twice consecutively with the same partner. The majority only went once to church on Sunday, aud devoted the rest of the day to long walks in the woods, the perusal of secular journals, aud listening to the band, which played other music than Handel’s. Many who frowned at sixpenny whist at home as gambling, staked their florins and five-franc pieces at roulette and rouge-et-noir. But there was one tacit law which the female portion of the British visitors adhered to religiously, and that for bade them to take seats at either of the play tables. They might stand behind, and make their little stakes over people’s shoulders, with an air of assumed indiffer ence as to whether they lost or won, if they pleased. That was considered to be mere looking-ou. But to sit down like a regular Gambler, with a big G, was held to be a fearful breach of propriety. And this crime Mrs Geylass, the young widow, committed. She constantly took a seat, which was obsequiously vacated for her, at the unsocial board, removed her gloves, took a card and pin, piled her stock of napo leons into little heaps in front of her, and went in for the thing in the most business like way, her admirers clustering round, and backing her luck; on the principle, I sup pose, that imitation is the sincerest flattery. The admirers alluded to were all men; their mothers, wives, and sisters abhorred her to a woman. 