"I will ask Dorothea!" Katrine decided once more, but before an hour was over curiosity had mastered her, and she was questioning Bedford about every woman in the station. The result was as illuminating as such enquiries usually are, and no more so, for Bedford had a good word to say of each. When she had exhausted her list of questions, Katrine sat silent, staring before her, her face grave and set. Bedford looked at her askance, and his eyes danced, but all traces of amusement were carefully banished from his voice. "You look very serious. What are you thinking about so deeply?" "I was thinking of what you have said. I had no idea, from my letters, that you had so many--girls in the station! That will be very nice." "I'm glad you are pleased," he said suavely, and Katrine incontinently blushed. That night she lay awake once more, struggling with a depression which she assured herself was well grounded. If there were already several agreeable and fascinating girls in the station, her own arrival could not be of such moment as she had expected. Dorothea would have other friends; Bedford had apparently one in special. They would not need her, but--Jim would! Jim had declared himself to be impervious to the claims of every other woman. Poor Jim! Katrine checked herself angrily. Why _poor_? This was the first time she had applied the derogatory epithet to her unknown lover. She made haste to atone for the slip by an unusual endearment. "_Dear_ Jim!" She repeated to herself, "_Dear_ Jim!" and with a rush of loyalty and gratitude her heart opened to the memory of her unknown lover's tenderness and understanding. "Nothing can matter to me while I have Jim!" she told herself thankfully, and fell asleep holding fast to the thought. CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR. Katrine's efforts to bring Bedford and Keith together seemed doomed to failure. She managed the introduction indeed, but the attempts at conversation which followed were not promising for future relationships, and for the rest of the day the two men avoided each other sedulously. It was duty, pure and simple, which made Katrine waylay Keith after dinner, and appear to take it for granted that he would give her his society for the customary half-hour's promenade round the deck, when in reality her only longing was to escape, and enjoy a continuation of her talk with the newer friend. Keith was in a black mood also; grim, unsmiling. His haggard eyes surveyed her with a scrutiny that was the reverse of friendly. "Still busy at your Reform Bill, I see! I had no idea you could be so persistent!" "Don't be nasty!"