"She is almost alone in the world--poor child!" he thought. "I want to ask you something," he said, impulsively. "Yes," she said, listlessly. "Was it because of those things we talked of just now--those aristocratic prejudices--that you have so severely ignored De Vere and me?" "Not exactly," she replied, hesitatingly. "Then, why?" he asked, gravely. She looked up into the handsome blue eyes. They were regarding her very kindly. Something like a sob swelled her throat, but she said, as calmly as she could: "I'll tell you the reason, Captain Lancaster. Do you remember the day we sailed, and what you and Lieutenant De Vere talked of that night over your cigars?" "I remember," he replied, with an embarrassment it was impossible to hide. The clear eyes looked up straight into his face. "Well, then," she said, "I heard every word you said to each other there in the moonlight." CHAPTER XIV. For the second time since he had met Leonora West, Captain Lancaster devoutly wished that the earth would open and hide him from the sight of those gray-blue eyes. "I heard every word," she repeated, and his memory flew back anxiously to that night. "Oh, impossible!" he cried. "You had retired. We were alone." The fair cheek flushed warmly. "I shall have to confess," she said. "But you must not judge me too hardly, Captain Lancaster." He looked at her expectantly. "I will tell you the truth," she said. "I went early to my state-room, because I was tired of Lieutenant De Vere. I wanted to be alone. But it was so warm and close in my room, I could not breathe freely. So I threw a dark shawl over me and went out on deck again. There was no one there. I slipped around in the shadow of the wheel-house and sat down." "And then we came--De Vere and I," said Lancaster. "Yes," she replied. "I was frightened at first, and shrank closer into the darkness. I did not want to be found out. I thought you would smoke your cigars and go away in a little while." There was a minute's silence. "I wish I had been a thousand miles away!" the captain thought, ruefully, to himself. "So then you commenced to talk about me," continued Leonora. "I ought not to have listened, I know, but I could not make up my mind to interrupt you; it would have been so embarrassing, you know. So I kept still, hoping you would stop every minute, and thus I heard all." "You heard nothing but kindness--you must grant that, at least," he said. The red lips curled at the corners, whether with anger or feeling he could not tell. "You were very condescending," she said, in a quiet, very demure little voice. "Now, you wrong us--you do, indeed, Miss West," he cried, hotly. "We said the kindest things of you. You must own that Lieutenant De Vere paid you the highest compliment man can pay to woman." A beautiful blush rose into the fair face, and her eyes drooped a moment.