‘Would you like to be introduced to her?’ continued the girl. ‘I made her acquaintance last night, and found her most agreeable. Will you come with me, and talk to her?’ ‘Delighted to follow you anywhere,’ said Lovell gallantly, as he walked after his lively companion. Vernon Blythe, who was close at hand, saw the little incident, and only smiled at it. He was not the man to suspect any woman whom he professed to love, without good cause. And when he was assured of her infidelity to him, he would be silent on the subject. He might leave her, but his pride would forbid him to complain because she preferred another fellow to himself. But he did not doubt at that moment that Alice loved him, and, believing so, he allowed her to do just as she chose. ‘Miss Vere,’ she exclaimed, as she came up to the lady in question, ‘may I introduce one of our fellow-passengers to you--Captain Lovell--who is longing to make your acquaintance?’ Miss Vere bowed, and the two immediately engaged in conversation. Emily Vere was a high-class society actress, who had appeared that season at a leading London theatre, and taken the town by storm. Now, she was going out to make the tour of Australia, tempted thereto by exceptionally high terms, and the promise of an efficient company to support her on the other side. In appearance, she was more charming perhaps than handsome, but her figure was perfect, and her manners courteous and refined. She was one of those artists who give the lie pointblank to those libellers who say that virtue does not exist upon the stage, and who (if the truth were known) have not kept their own lives nearly so clean as that of many an actress. Miss Vere’s character had never been attacked, except by those who knew nothing about it. She was essentially a lady, and one of rather reserved and quiet habits than otherwise. She was dressed plainly, but in exquisite taste. Her grey cashmere dress showed off each curve of her beautiful figure, and seemed to cling lovingly about her full bosom and slender waist. Her long plush mantle was of the same delicate tint, and a grey straw hat, trimmed with seagulls’ wings, and long grey _chevrette_ gloves, completed her costume. She smiled pleasantly as she recognised her little acquaintance of the night before, but did not evince any especial emotion on being introduced to Captain Lovell, which, for the moment, rather staggered that hero. ‘So proud to know you,’ he murmured, as the introduction was effected; ‘so charmed to meet one whom I, in common with all who have had the great privilege of seeing her upon the stage, cannot fail to admire.’ ‘How long did it take you to get that up?’ asked Miss Vere quietly. ‘Seriously, Captain Lovell, I hope I am going to be spared listening to empty compliments for a while. I am so very _very_ tired of them, and I want to make this voyage a time of rest for both mind and body.’ ‘But I can assure you I had no intention to flatter,’ stammered Lovell.