The next night Nancy wondered why his manner was so changed, and
why he spoke so bitterly of his work, and what was the matter with
him anyway. She reflected that perhaps he was sorry his mother's
visit was over. For two or three weeks he seemed restless and
discontented, and equally unwilling to be included in the "Dutch
treats," or to be left out of them. And then suddenly the bad mood
passed, and Bert was his kind and appreciative and generous self
again. Clark Belknap, also of Maryland, who had plenty of money
and a charming personality and manner as well, began to show the
familiar symptoms toward Nancy, and Bert told himself that Clark
would be an admirable match for her. Also his Cousin Mary wrote
him that his second cousin Dorothy Hayes Hamilton was going to be
in New York for a few weeks, and asked him to take her about a
little, and see that she had a nice time. Cousin Mary, as was
usual, enclosed a generous check to insure the nice time, and
little Dorothy proved to be a very rose of a girl, just as
unspoiled as if her fortune had been half a dollar instead of half
a million and full of pride in her big cousin, whose Harvard
record she evidently knew by heart.

Bert willingly took her about, and they became good friends. He
did not see much of Nancy now, and one of the times he did see her
was unfortunate. He and Dorothy had been having tea at a roof-
garden, after a long delightful day in Dorothy's car, and now he
was to take her to her hotel. Just as he was holding the little
pongee wrap, and Dorothy was laughing up at him from under the
roses on her hat, he saw Nancy, going out between two older women.
His look just missed hers; he knew she had seen him; had perhaps
been watching him, but he could not catch her eye again.