“That was great!” exclaimed Rocky Kane. The thin girl, he had decided, was a good fellow. She was always quiet, discreet, attractive. In her curiously unobtrusive way she seemed to know everything. The face was cold in appearance. Yet she was distinctly friendly. Made you feel that nothing you might say could disturb or shock her. He wondered what could be going on behind those pale quiet eyes, behind the thin lips. The men had remarked on the fact that she was traveling alone. She was a provocative person--the curiously youthful costume; the black hair gathered at the neck and tied, girlishly, with a bow--really an exciting person. The way she had taken that little scene out on deck with the gorgeous Chinese girl--Rocky knew nothing of the distinctions between the Asiatic peoples--who spoke English; quite as a matter of course. Though she took everything that way. This little gambling, for instance. She loved it--was quick at it. “I'm wondering about you,” he said, as they wandered along. “Wondering--you know--why you're traveling this way. Have you got folks up the river?” “Oh, no,” she replied--never in his life had he known such self-control; there wasn't even color in her voice, just that easy quiet way, that sense of giving out no vitality whatever. “Oh, no. I have some business at Hankow and Peking.” That was all she said. The subject was closed. And yet, she hadn't minded his asking. She was still friendly; he felt that. His feelings rose. He giggled softly. “Lord!” he said, “if only the pater wasn't along!” “Does he hold you down?” “Does he? Brought me out here to discipline me. Trying to make me go back to college--make a grind of me.... I was just thinking--here's a nice girl to play with, and plenty of fun around, and not a thing to drink. He gave me fits at Shanghai because I took a few drinks.” “You have the other stuff,” said she. He turned nervously; stared at her. But she remained as calmly unresponsive as ever. Merely explained: “I smelt it, outside your cabin. You ought to be careful--shut your window tight when you smoke it.” He held his breath a moment; then realized, with an uprush of feeling warmer than any he had felt before, that he had her sympathy. She would never tell, never in the world. That big mate might, but she wouldn't. She added this: “I can give you a drink. Wait until things settle down on the boat and come to my cabin--number four. Just be sure there's no one in the corridor. And don't knock. The door will be ajar. Step right in. Do you like saké?” “Do I--say, you're great! You're wonderful. I never knew a girl like you!” She took this little outbreak, as she had taken all his others, without even a smile. It was, he felt, as if they had always known each other. They understood--perfectly.