"I--I am glad you take it so easily, Drake," she said. "You don't blame

me, do you? I couldn't run against father, could I? You know how poor we

are. I must make a good marriage, and--and----"

"And so it is 'good-by,'" he said.

He looked so stern, so self-contained, that her self-possession forsook

her for a moment, and she stood biting softly at her underlip and

looking by turns at the ultramarine sea and the stern face of the lover

whom she was discarding. He held out his hand again.

"Good-by, Luce," he said. "You have taught me a lesson."

"What--do you mean?" she asked.

Advertisement..

He smiled.

"That women care only for rank and gold, and that without them a man

cannot hold you. I shall take it to heart Good-by."

She looked at him doubtfully, hesitatingly.

"You will take the _Seagull_ south?" he said. "Be good enough to ask

your father to wire me as to her whereabouts. I may need her. But don't

hurry. I'm only too glad that you are sailing her. Good-by."

She murmured "Good-by," and went down the steps slowly; and Drake,

Viscount Selbie, refilled his pipe. Then he rose quickly and overtook

her. She stopped and turned, and if he had expected to see signs of

emotion in her beautiful face, he was doomed to disappointment; indeed,

the look of apprehension with which she heard his voice had been

followed by one of relief.

"One moment," he said. "I want to ask you not to mention that you have

seen me here."

She opened her soft hazel eyes with some surprise and a great deal of

curiosity.

"Not say that I have seen you?" she said. "Of course, if you wish it;

but why?"

"The reason will seem to you inadequate, I am afraid," he said coldly;

"but the fact is, I am staying here under another name--my own is being

bandied about so much, you see," bitterly, "that I am a little tired of

it."

"I see," she said. "Then I am not to tell father. How will he know how

to address the wire about the yacht?"

"Send it to Sparling," he said. "I am sorry to have stopped you.

Good-by."

She inclined her head and murmured "Good-by" for the second time, and

went on again; but a few steps lower she stopped and pondered his

strange request.




Most Popular