"Do you want to read a letter I have received, warning me against you?" I asked, laughingly, going to where Miss May sat. "Or perhaps, to state it more accurately, warning you against me; at least, warning us against each other." She looked rather startled at my first observation and held out her hand for the missive as I finished. I sat down beside her, prefacing an actual exhibition of the note from Miss Brazier by a reminder that I had informed her early in our acquaintance of the lady's answer to my Herald advertisement. She read the note through, as I held it in my hands, and when she had finished wore a very sober face. "This seems to amuse you," she said, regarding me with a strange look. "I do not see why it should. The person who wrote that is actuated by the sincerest regard for your welfare. It would have been much better for you had you taken her on this journey instead of me." "But," I answered, lightly, "it would not have been half so well for you, which is why I did not do it. I want you to understand that I am not here for my own health, but yours. As for Alice Brazier, she wrote me, when she found I would not take her, anyway--that she was surprised at the 'nerve' of the successful applicant." "I am surprised at it myself," said Miss May, refusing to laugh. "I grow more and more surprised at it every day." "I suppose you wish me to believe you are sorry," I said, bridling just the least bit. "No, my dear Don," she replied, gently, "I am very glad I came. It is not that which troubles me. It is the thought that some day it will end." "That thought would spoil the pleasure of life itself," I said, much mollified nevertheless. "I would advise you not to become a monomaniac. Take some of these papers and get into touch again with the planet on which we used to live." She looked them all over, scanning the dates. "Why, who sent you these ancient things?" she said. "The very latest is dated January 18th." "Well, did you expect yesterday morning's?" I asked. "Have you forgotten that we are some little distance from Manhattan Island?" She smiled at last, as the recollection of our situation with regard to news came over her, and thanking me, began to look over the papers, beginning with the day after we left. I took the next one and for some time this occupied us. When either encountered anything of general interest there was an interruption, followed by prolonged silence. "Are you going to answer that letter of Miss Brazier's?" Miss May asked, all of a sudden. "Why? Would you?" "Yes; in a very formal way." Was she attacked with incipient jealousy of this unknown one, even while she approved of her counsel? "All right," I said. "I will let you dictate the words." "What other letters did you get?" she inquired. I showed them to her. She wanted to know what each contained; and when I spoke of Statia, though I did not mention her name, the same smouldering fire flashed up slightly as in Miss Brazier's case.