"Why are they always thin here?" thought Maud Porter. "Is it eating fish? Do they never have to reduce?"
"Oh, pardon me!" exclaimed the newcomer, with such an elegant lift of her bony shoulders that it twisted her whole body. "I expected to see Belinda—that is—pardon me!—Miss Barry."
"She's in the kitchen just at present. Won't you come in?"
The newcomer accepted with alacrity, her prominent eyes openly scanning Mrs. Porter's costume.
"I wouldn't have thought of intruding had I supposed Miss Barry had a guest. I didn't notice Jerry brought anybody." Another writhe, and a rearrangement of a long necklace of imitation coral beads, which suffered against the red plaid.
"Yes, he brought happy me," returned Mrs. Porter, wondering whether, with the chowder so imminent, she should ask this guest to be seated.
The newcomer relieved her of responsibility by sinking into the nearest chair.
"Comin' for the summer?" she asked hurriedly, as though she felt that her time was short.
"I don't know. It's a place to tempt one, isn't it?"
"The views is called wonderful," returned the other modestly. "Of course, 't ain't for us to call 'em sumtious, but artists hev called 'em sumtious."