The Honorable Percival

d slender, and moved with an air of fastidious distinction. He wore a small mustache, a monocle, and an expression of unutterable ennui. His costume consisted of a smart tweed traveling-su

o provide himself with a wife and heir, the duty of perpetuating the family name fell upon him, Percival Hascombe, second son of the late Earl of Westenhang

-side for his inspection. One after another they had met with his grave consideration and subsequent disapprobation. Fears had begun to

bagged the biggest game in the neighborhood. The explanation was obvious: the Lady Hortense had no faults to be discovered. The closest inspection through two pairs of glasses, Percival's and her own, failed to reveal a flaw. Her

allowed to bask uninterrupted in the light of each other's perfections, and the result was disastrous. Two persons who have achieved distinction as soloists do n

rumors. The Honorable Percival, whose pride had sustained a compound fracture, set sail immediately for America. After a hurried trip across the continent

d its sorrows, he had exhausted its thrills; it was like a scenic railway over which he was compelled to ride after every detail had become monotonously familiar. There was nothing more for him to learn abou

would soon have dried his draggled feathers and left him preening himself contentedly in the comforting assurance that Lady Hortense was in no way worthy of him. But being confronted thus suddenly with the necessity of supplying his egotism with all its nourishment, he found himself unequal to the task. Behind every consoling thought stalked that totally incredible "No." He tortured his brain for possible reasons

ting questions on the part of the public, and then ignominious flight. He shuddered as he thought of the dull, wet days on the Atlantic and his hideous we

had been on his interminable trip across the continent, when for ten brief minutes his bli

rt young chap and a girl, each astride a bronco. They drew rein at the platform, cursorily scanned the waiting train, glanced at him, then at each other, and, apparently without the slightest reason, burst into unrestrained merriment. Percival continued to survey them calmly and haughtily through his monocle. His first glance had revealed the fact that the

and disappeared within the station, he deliberately caught her eye and held it. There was a touch of daring in her face and figure, an evident sense of security in the fact that the train was already

ng well forward, gripping the bronco with her knees, with one hand grasping his mane. Every muscle was tense with life, every nerve a-quiver with glee. Before the young Englishman knew it, his own sluggish blood was stirring in his veins through sympathy. Then the train began to gain upon her, and throwing herself back in the s

proved a deserter to his standard, there were still volunteers. He treasured the incident as a king treasures the

d the promenade-deck, shouting and waving to the crowd on the wharf below. From the bridge-deck the captain could be heard cheerfully swearing through a megaphone at the second officer below. Chinese deck-stewards glided about in their felt slippers, trying to at

n and to impart information; business men comparing statistics and endlessly discussing the tariff; rich wanderers in quest of health; poor missionaries in quest of "foreign fields"; fussy Frenchmen; stoli

s of a personal nature with an old man on the wharf twenty feet below. Every time Percival's walk brought him toward the bow of the boat, his eyes were offended by that blue-and-lavender steamer-coat and

loofness. He would discourage all advances from the start, he would promptly nip in the bud the first sign of intrusion. He had left the only country an Englishman regards as

varied belongings. His state-room was at the end of a short passage leading from the main, one, and he was displeased at finding the deep led

for the

ptorily. "It is abominably stuffy down here. We can'

ng Chinaman assumed an ex

red Percival, res

lmly. "All same b'long one

ly to his valet, who was

out of the window, and k

where shall I

id Percival, as he slipped his arms into the to

ted that the customary bit of rough weather after leaving the Golden Gate was to be expected. Percival was not happy in rough weather

ceive him; but the casual observer does not always know. It is a long distance between the prow and the stern of an ocean liner, when the deck is comp

was that obnoxious blue-and-lavender steamer-coat, with its owner snugly ensconced within, her eyes

er steamer-chair, for fear its owner might claim it. There was nothing left for him but to pace up and down that undulating dec

s awake, he carefully adjusted his monocle, and turned upon her a look t

Instead, the wearer of the gaudy coat sat

ever! Where did

ever! Where did

a comely figure in khaki and brown leggings in place of the muffled form in the hideous coat. His

had been rather artistic and satisfying. A wild, unknown bit of femininity dashing into his life for ten throbbing minutes, then vanishing into the sunset

" he said stiffly.

yes c

t you were some one I kn

do not discom

angle her high heels from his rug. "I've had my nap

sank limply into the warm nest she had just left, and closed his