The Nest Builder

rgetic youths, in surprising ulsters and sweaters, tramped in broken file between these chairs and the bulwarks. Older men, in woolen waistcoats and c

ard was in progress. Above the main companion-way the ship's bands condescended to a little dance music on behalf of the second class. The Scotchman, clad in inch-thick heather mixture, was already d

ner table, who was among them, the gift of a cigar, interrogated him as to musical gifts. "I shall recite mesel'," he explained com

rry I can't oblige you. Who wants to hear

bonny girrls on board," replied the Scot,

sh girl?" suggested a tal

h girrl?" dem

h! Why, that one ov

dren surrounding a tall girl who stood by the rail on the leewar

back of yon young woman," and he promptly strode dow

ospect seemed to the emerging Stefan cheerless in the extreme. His eyes swept the gray, huddled shapes upon the chairs, the knots of gossiping men, the clumsy, tramping youths, with the same loathing that the whole voyage had hitherto inspired in him. The for

as whipped, rippling. The sun had gleamed suddenly, and under the shaft of brightness her hair shone back a golden answer. Her eyes, hardly raised to those of the tall Scotchman, were wide, gray,

He found and lit a cigarette, and squaring his shoulders to the deckhouse wall, leaned back th

kirt. She bent toward him a smile which gave Stefan almost a stab of satisfaction, it was so gravely sweet, so fitted to her person. She stooped lower to speak to the baby, and the artist saw the free, rhythmic motion which meant developed, and untrammeled muscles. Presently the c

an instant the girl was up, springing to her feet unaided by hand or knee. Reaching out, she caught the hat as i

vocative, surrounded the circle, momentarily cutting off his view. He changed his position to the bulwarks beside the group. There, a

or to which his talent-seeking round of the deck had again

hould imagine," returned his table neighbor,

likes of him," scoffed the

e English girl passed from "Hunt the Slipper" to "A Cold and Frosty Morning," and from

chairs, disclosing unexpected spots of color-a bright tie or a patterned blouse-ani

fed, other mothers did the same, and the remaining children, at the lure of food, sidled off of their own accord, or sped wildly, whooping out promises to return. For the moment, the story-teller was alone. Stefan, seei

a pair of green-gold eyes set in a brown, eager face. The face was lighted with a smile of dazzling friendlines

as Stefan maneuvered it-to avoid seeing the Scot and his carefully balanced offering. Di

s. I'm twenty-six. What is your name?" said Stefan, who never wasted time in p

name is Mary Elliston. I'm twenty-five. I do odd jobs,

f pleasure, as they turned onto the emptier wind

an fortune, in my

tune, you carry so much gold with you

, taking his compliment as he had paid i

ich should belong to us all. However, I'm not going to complain to the authorities, I like the result too much. You don't mind m

as acutely aware of her free movements beside him, and of the blow of her skirts to leeward. Her hair, too closely pinned to fly loose, yet seemed to sp

ts more, and you may ask me as many as you like. I never talk to people unless they are worth talki

e accepted him on his own ground, wi

fore?'" and she glanced with a quiet humorousness at the few unprom

" he applauded, "a

ight, only not

nly one answer. We haven't talked before because I haven't seen you before,

e of time," she answered. "You'll

"My turn for a question. Have you relatives,

fearfully preoccupied with husband, houses, and things." She paused, then added, "She hasn't any babies, o

y, she takes after the other parent

rn again?" Mary int

ee, questions about me are so comparativ

But I'm really a victim of the English method of educating girls. That's my chief p

nd," he questioned, with eager interest. ("An

, who was a doctor, attended the Bishop, the Dean, and all the Chapter. Mother would not let us go to boarding-school, for fear of 'influences'-so we had governesses at h

t?" interru

swagger and all that-much more so than the titled people often. It was very great promotion for the daughter of one of

d medieval!" exclaimed Stefan. "

an my sister married I thought was frightfully boring except for his family place, and being in the a

fore her and apostrophizing the sky or the boat-deck-"a godd

eside him, "but for the second," and her face became a little grave, "y

d. "I've never met an English girl befor

e ship without force from the waves to throw it up to them in spray. They looked down into deep blue and green water g

ege he liked, but he wouldn't hear of it. Said he wanted a womanly daughter." She smiled rather ruefully. "Dad was doing well with his practice, for a small-town doctor, and ha

hing," h

g. It wouldn't have really mattered-he had his profession-but the shock killed him, I think; that and being lonely without Mother." She paused a moment,

brother-in-law

ger of starvation. But," she shook her head emphati

bow on the rail, "I can't help asking this, y

in her friendly,

ndered.) "First of all, there are very few young men of one's own sort in Lindum; most of them are in the Colonies. Those there are-one or two lawyers, doctors, and squires' sons-are fri

eing you. Look here, Miss Elliston, honestly now, fair and square-" he smiled confidingly at her-

to have more than a good appearance." She shrugged her should

cided.) "Opinions," he echoed, "what

ed. "I read a good deal, I sympathized with the Liberals. I

, "though the French women don't seem to care

brightest smile h

u!" she cried. "You

iked and believed in women more than men. I l

see, with our men it's usually the other way

decided

wn writer horribly badly. I lived with an old lady as companion for two months, but that was being a poor relation minus the relationship-I couldn't stand it. I joined the Suffragists in London-not

ng-conclusively-in French. Then-"Don'

s. I had a hundred pounds and a few ornaments of Mother's. I love children, but I didn't want to be a governess. I wanted to stand alone in some place where my head wouldn't be pushed down every

at magnificent pluck, and how divine of you to tell me it all!

ly he exaggerat

t on in a burst of enthusiasm. "What a perfectly spl

smilingly, "but there goes

ll those horrible people-you want to leave this

want my dinner,"

r a moment; then enlightenm

d not glow with such divine health! That gong was for the first table, a

e else's chair, conveniently placed, settled her with some one else's cushions, which he chose from the whole deck for their color-a clean blue-and covered her feet with the best rug he could find. She accepted his b