--I think they ought to be burned alive!"

A dead silence, during which the two men were unnecessarily intent upon
the contents of their plates, followed this explosion. Miss Vernon
demurely smiled to herself, and finally kicked Hugh's foot. He laughed
aloud suddenly and insanely and then choked. Veath grew very red in the
face, perhaps through restraint. The conversation from that moment was
strained until the close of the meal, and they did not meet at all
during dinner.

"Perhaps we have offended him," said Grace as they strolled along the
deck that evening.

"It's probable that he thinks we are blamed fools and does not care to
waste his time on us."

"Then why did he change his seat?"

"Evidently did not want us to be staring him out of countenance all the
time. I notice, sister, that he took the seat next to yours and not to
mine," remarked he insinuatingly.

"Which proves that _he_ is no fool, brother," she retorted.

CHAPTER VII

GLUM DAYS FOR MR. RIDGE

Gibraltar. And the ship stopping only long enough to receive the mail
and take on passengers; then off again.

During the voyage in the Bay of Biscay, Veath had done all in his power
to relieve Hugh of the boredom which is supposed to fall upon the man
who has a sister clinging to him. At first Hugh rather enjoyed the
situation, but as Veath's amiable sacrifice became more intense, he grew
correspondingly uncomfortable. It was not precisely what he had
bargained for. There was nothing in Veath's manner which could have been
objectionable to the most exacting of brothers.

When he was trespassing Hugh hated him, but when they were together,
with Grace absent, he could not but admire the sunny-faced, frank,
stalwart Indianian. When Hugh's heart was sorest, a slap on the back
from Veath, a cheery word and an unspoken pledge of friendship brought
shame to take the place of resentment.

She was troubled, as well as he, by the turn of affairs; her distress
managed to keep her awake of nights, especially when she began to
realize there was no escape from consequences. That usually pleasant
word "brother" became unbearable to her; she began to despise it. To
him, the word "sister" was the foundation for unpublishable impressions.

Poor Veath knew nothing of all this and continued to "show Miss Ridge a
good time." On the second night out of Gibraltar, he and Grace were
strolling the deck. He was happy, she in deep despair. Down at the other
end of th