"She gathered all her things in her arms--she should have had a maid, really--and began to trip across the deck. Then the wind--bless its viewless fingers whirled off her veil and tossed it in the air." "Fortunate!" muttered Lancaster. "Yes, wasn't it?" cried De Vere, in a lively tone. "So I gave chase to the bit of gossamer and captured it just as it was sailing skyward. I carried it back to her, and lo! a face--well, wait until you see her, that's all." "Is that the end of the story?" queried Lancaster, disappointed. "Not yet. Well, it was the sweetest face in the world. A real pink and white; eyes that were gray, but looked black because the lashes were so long and shady. Pouting lips, waving bangs, just the loveliest shade of chestnut. Imagine what I felt when this lovely girl thanked me in a voice as sweet as a sugar-plum, and gave me her things to hold while she tied on her veil again." "I hope you did not let her see how moonstruck you were on the instant." "I don't know. I'm afraid she did," dubiously. "You see, I was so taken by surprise I had not my wits about me. I talked to her quite idiotically--told her I would not have restored the veil had I known she would hide that face with it again." "And she?" asked Lancaster, with a restless movement. "Oh, she colored and looked quite vexed a moment. Then she asked me, quite coolly, if my keeper was on board." There was a minute's silence. Lancaster's broad shoulders shook with suppressed laughter. "So I begged a thousand pardons," De Vere continued, after a minute's thoughtful rumination, "and I found her a seat and brought the chamber-maid to take her things and show her her state-room; so she could not choose but forgive me, and I talked to her a minute." "And told her all about yourself in a breath," laughed the captain. "No; I would have done it, but she did not stop long enough to hear me. I asked her if she was going to cross the 'big pond' all alone by herself, as Pat would say, and she laughed very much and said no; she was to have two chaperons. Then she asked me was I going, too. I said yes, and was fumbling for my card-case when the chamber-maid whisked her away from me. But to-morrow I shall--Oh, oh! Lancaster," in a suppressed tone of ecstasy, "there she is now!" Lancaster dropped his cigar into the heaving waves and turned his head. He saw a lissom, graceful figure coming unsteadily across the heaving deck--Leonora West! Leonora West, even more fair and bonny looking than yesterday, in a jersey waist and a black-kilted skirt just short enough to show the arched instep of an exquisite foot in a dainty buttoned boot. She carried her veil on her arm now, and wore a big black hat on her head, under which all her wealth of curling chestnut hair waved loosely to her perfect waist. The fair "innocent-arch" face looked as fresh as a rose and beamed with gentleness and good nature.