t, barely able to
confine himself to this moderately sensible abjuration while his brain
was seething with other and stronger expressions.

"I beg your pardon, Ridge; I did not know that I talked very much about
her." There was a brief silence and then he continued: "Have a fresh
cigar, old man." Hugh took the cigar ungraciously, ashamed of his
petulance.

By this time the early shades of night had begun to settle and the
figures along the deck were growing faint in the shadows. Here and there
sailors began to light the deck lamps; many of the passengers went below
to avoid the coming chill. In her stateroom Grace was just writing: "For
over a week we have been sailing under British colors, we good
Americans, Hugh and I,--and I may add, Mr. Veath."

Another turn down the promenade and back brought Ridgeway and Veath face
to face with the old gentleman and the young lady, who were on the point
of starting below. The Americans paused to let them pass, lifting their
caps. The old gentleman, now eager and apparently more interested in
life and its accompaniments, touched the vizor of his cap in response,
and the young lady smiled faintly as she drew her skirts aside and
passed before him.

"Did you ever see a smile like that?" cried Hugh, as the couple
disappeared from view.

"Thousands," answered his companion. "They're common as women
themselves. Any woman has a pretty smile when she wants it."

"You haven't a grain of sentiment, confound you."

"They don't teach sentiment on the farm, and there's where I began this
unappreciative existence of mine. But I am able to think a lot
sometimes."

"That's about all a fellow has to do on a farm, isn't it?"

"That and die, I believe."

"And get married?"

"Naturally, in order to think more. A man has to think for two after
he's married, you see."

"Quite sarcastic that. You don't think much of women, I fancy."

"Not in the plural."

Captain Shadburn was nearing them on the way from the chart-house, and
the young men accosted him, Veath inquiring:

"Captain, who is the tall old gentleman you were talking to forward
awhile ago?"

"That is Lord Huntingford, going over to straighten out some
complications for the Crown. He is a diplomat of the first water."

"Where are these complications, may I ask?"

"Oh, in China, I think. He is hurrying across as fast as possible. He
leaves the ship at Hong Kong, and nobody knows just what his mission is;
that's between hi