“Well, I don’t know, I—” he stammered. Miss Earle looked at him with such clear, innocent, and unwavering eyes that the young man felt that he could neither apologise nor make an explanation. “I’m afraid,” he said, “that I am encroaching on your time.” “Yes, I think you are: that is, if you intend to live up to your contract, and let me live up to mine. You have no idea how much more interesting this book is than you are.” “Why, you are not a bit flattering, Miss Earle, are you?” “No, I don’t think I am. Do you try to be?” “I’m afraid that in my lifetime I have tried to be, but I assure you, Miss Earle, that I don’t try to be flattering, or try to be anything but what I really am when I am in your company. To tell the truth, I am too much afraid of you.” Miss Earle smiled and went on with her reading, while Morris went once more back into the smoking-room. “Now then,” said George Morris, when lunch was over, “which is it to be? The luxurious languor of the steamer chair or the energetic exercise of the deck? Take your choice.” “Well,” answered the young lady, “as I have been enjoying the luxurious languor all the forenoon, I prefer the energetic exercise, if it is agreeable to you, for a while, at least.” “It is very agreeable to me. I am all energy this afternoon. In fact, now that you have consented to allow me to talk with you, I feel as if I were imbued with a new life.” “Dear me,” said she, “and all because of the privilege of talking to me?” “All.” “How nice that is. You are sure that it is not the effect of the sea air?” “Quite certain. I had the sea air this forenoon, you know.” “Oh, yes, I had forgotten that.” “Well, which side of the deck then?” “Oh, which ever is the least popular side. I dislike a crowd.” “I think, Miss Earle, that we will have this side pretty much to ourselves. The madd’ing crowd seems to have a preference for the sunny part of the ship. Now, then, for the siege of London. Who besieged it?” “A lady.” “Did she succeed?” “She did.” “Well, I am very glad to hear it, indeed. What was she besieging it for?” “For social position, I presume. “Then, as we say out West, I suppose she had a pretty hard row to hoe?” “Yes, she had.” “Well, I never can get at the story by cross-questioning. Now, supposing that you tell it to me.” “I think that you had better take the book and read it. I am not a good story-teller.” “Why, I thought we Americans were considered excellent story-tellers.’ “We Americans?” “Oh, I remember now, you do not lay claim to being an American. You are English, I think you said?” “I said nothing of the kind. I merely said I lay no claims to being an American.” “Yes, that was it.” “Well, you will be pleased to know that this lady in the siege of London was an American. You seem so anxious to establish a person’s nationality that I am glad to be able to tell you at the very first that she was an American, and, what is more, seemed to be a Western American.”