The Honorable Percival

treets would pass each other with utter indifference will often drop a conscious lid over a welcoming eye when passing and repassing on the deck of a steamer. When men and women are set

or a young stewardess, and it extended to the bridge, where Captain Boynton frequently consigned his duties to the first officer in order to devote his energies to holding Mrs. Weston's worsted. When he was not hol

wn, and through endless practising of "Tales from Hoffman" they had arrived at a harmony that promised to be permanent. Andy Black and Bobby B

ected to suffer again. The grand affair with the Lady Hortense had been a dignified, chronic ailment which he had learned to endure with a becoming air of pensive resignation. The present attack threatened to be of a much mo

en slightly changed, and now that he found himself seated between Bobby and Andy Black, the temptation to turn his chair slightly toward the former, thus presenting an insolent and forbidding back to Andy, was

sfavor. One morning when he was alone at breakfast with Mrs.

s, my lady, a Nelson eye, a Nelson ear

led with, flatt

ld," he continued significantly, "but you can back your Uncle

d Mrs. Weston, leaning forward and almo

is running out of his course. He'll hit a reef

n the Honora

of those titled Johnnies, he's so cro

f the most absolutely irreproachable and un

any other foreign nobility. Besides, what headway will I make by

affair quite out

going to have her drop anchor on a ranch for the rest of her days. I'll send her up to 'Frisco to school first. That's what t

bably sees now that

scovered that the second day out. I'd forbidden her to write any letters to the

d-hearted enough

ive it to me on the spot, and she s

did

the captain, wit

be amenable if she were handled right. However, she doesn't seem to be bre

of those flashes of bitterness that sent a

memories she had stirred; "but Mr. Hascombe is different. He is so good-looking an

to say that yo

much of him on deck, but at the table she hasn'

son eye!" sai

sophisticated pointed out to them on the water; the cream-peppermint lady went so far as to say she felt the jar as the steamer passed over it

together in the wind-shelter it was strange that she could be so oblivious of his presence. It was distasteful to him to have to signal the train of her attention. To be sure, a very little signal served,-a word, a look, a thoug

hat everybody on board was dancing except the missionaries and himself. Even they were taking part as spectators, havin

es, he wondered if they were as difficult as they looked. Seeing nobody about, he rose and tentatively tried a few steps behind the shelter of a life-boat. He found it interesting, and was getting quite pleased over his cleverness in catching the syncopated time, when he spied an impertinent sailor grinning at him from the rigging. Instantly his legs became rigid, and he affected an intere

tion. Though grievously disappointed in his failure to capture the incomparable Lady Hortense, he must don his armor and ride forth again to find ano

e found himself moving toward the co

th me?" he heard himself murmuring

th a smile that made him forget

nd fall as she sailed straight into the golden heart of the sun. Up from the horizon spread wave after wave; of perilous color, emerald melting into azur

ing in the world," cried Bobby. "H

hose people below get r

challenged h

was touching his on the railing and that the dangerous pink light was

ughed

ng on your mind. Say, you wouldn't

say I s

day that I could go round the corner and

you home

s of things. See the way the wind flecks the water over there

rched, barren sort

actus is in bloom-the red-flowered kind that looks so pretty against the sides of the gray but

show you a well-run English estate. Rather a pretty sight. Hascombe H

ranch covers two hundred thousand acres, and it ta

Percival, to whom her background in Wyoming was of no consequence. He liked to think of her

tled up this long; I suppose I can manage the rest

ell

a love-

val w

"I shouldn't mind reading

s an inquisitive bird might listen to a strange wood note, wit

ectly modulated voic

sten to you read forever. It makes me think of the wind in th

you like

our mouth looks w

ooks when you read it. Your

ccessful effort at indifference; "it's the Hasc

old as that! Perhaps that's

I so

ays she believes you hav

ted with alarming echoes. He shot a suspicious gl

is romantic," he said stiffly. "Am I

with Andy Black. He'll never think to look up here.

girl," Percival exclaimed with sudden warmth. "

Bobby, "because, y

ld have been regarded as more serious t

gs for your own good, will you?" he asked

said Bobby;

n on the impropriety of young ladies playing pok

ubject, "that yesterday was Friday, and to-morrow i

ing. It's a day I

it, but there was that in the bewitching

t picked it up out of the sea, and we are going to dro

hy

w, you see, to-day n

ught of it. Suppose we celebrate by way of doi

her hands. "Wh

e day you consider me the person

nsider

d you promise to forget all those girls over in Engl

e," said

id, more intense, more thrillingly alive to the mystery of the coming night. The Honorable Percival's cap was on Bobby's head, and his coat was about her shoulders. As to himself, he seemed strangely indifferent to the tumbled state of his

cated white evening gown that she had hitherto scorned, to the new and becoming way in which her hair was arranged. It did not require a Nelson eye to discove

e nodded comprehendingly. Later in the evening, when he dropped

people have been asking for her.

captain, gruffly. "Talk to me about responsibility. I'd rather

ven't you!" asked Mrs. Weston. "I suppose it

n dropped

im at dinner? By George! it was enou

rs. Weston, wisely. "If you really op

rse I oppose it. W

ld you like me to try and help you out-share t

, shooting a quizzical glance at

Weston, flushing. "Jus

be crossing the steerage deck, came quite unexpectedly u

sternly. "What are

sternly, "What are

horescence, miles and miles of it! And some dolphins, all covered with silver, kept racing with us and leaping clear out of the water, like wriggly bits of fire. And

id the Honora