to Manila. Politics, you know, and my uncle's
influence with the administration." Ridgeway observed that wine made
loquacious a man who was naturally conservative. "Where are you going?"
he continued.

"We are going to Manila."

"What!" gasped Veath. "You don't mean it!"

"Certainly. Why not?" and Hugh smiled delightedly over the sensation he
had created.

"Why--why, it seems improbable," stammered Veath. "I had looked upon
Manila as the most wretched hole in the world, and yet I find you going
there, evidently from choice."

"Well, you'll have to change your opinion now," said Hugh.

"I do--forthwith. It cannot be such a bad place or you wouldn't be
taking your sister there. May I ask what is your object in going
to Manila?"

Hugh turned red in the face and stooped over to flick an imaginary
particle of dust from his trousers' leg. There was but one object in
their going and he had not dreamed of being asked what it was. He could
not be employed forever in brushing away that speck, and yet he could
not, to save his life, construct an answer to Veath's question. In the
midst of his despair a sudden resolution came, and he looked up, his
lips twitching with suppressed laughter.

"We are going as missionaries."

He almost laughed aloud at the expression on Veath's face. It revealed
the utmost dismay. There was a moment's silence, and then the man in the
berth said slowly:

"Is Miss Ridge a--a missionary also?"

"The very worst kind," replied Hugh cheerily.

"Going out among the natives, I suppose?"

"What natives?"

"Why,--the Igorrotes, or whatever they are, of course."

"Oh, of course--to be sure," cried Hugh hastily. "I am so d--d
absent-minded."

Veath stared in amazement.

"You must not think it strange that I swear," said Hugh, mopping his
brow. "I am not the missionary, you know."

"Oh," was the other's simple exclamation. Another pause and then, "You
don't mean to say that such a beautiful woman is going to waste her life
among savages?"

"She's got her head set on it and we think the only way to break her of
it is to give her a sample of the work. I am going with her ostensibly
to protect, but really to make her life miserable."

"I rather admire her devotion to the church," said Veath, still a trifle
dazed.

"She's a great crank on religion," admitted Hugh. Then he could feel
himself turn pale. He was passing Grace off as a missionary, and thereby
placing her under restrictions that