, but I don't feel like walking," said Hugh, a tinge of
sullenness in his manner.

"Lazy, eh? Well, I'll bring Miss Ridge back in half an hour. You
wouldn't have me wander about this dismal old boat alone, would you?
Smoke a cigar, Hugh, and I'll take care of your sister while you count
the stars." He offered Hugh a cigar.

Hugh rose suddenly and started away.

"Hugh!" called she, "come and walk with us." He could distinguish the
loving entreaty, the trouble in her tones, but he was unreasonable.

"Never mind me," he sang out with an assumption of cheerfulness. Grace
flushed hotly, her heart swelling with injured pride. Without another
word she rose and walked away with Veath. Indignation burned within her
soul until she went to sleep, hours afterward.

Ridgeway stamped the full length of the promenade before he came to an
understanding with himself. On reaching that understanding, he whirled
and walked back to where he had left them, expecting to find Veath
occupying the chair he had vacated. Of course they were not to be found,
so he threw himself on one of the chairs, more miserable than he had
been since they started on their voyage. The lady in the chair to his
left stirred nervously and then a soft laugh came from her lips.

"Are you sleepy, Mr. Ridge?" she asked. Hugh turned quickly and looked
into the face of Lady Huntingford.

"Not at all," he replied. "But how strange it seems that you should
always appear like the fairy queen when I am most in need of a bracer.
Oh, I beg your pardon," he went on, rising in some perturbation. "I
forgot that there is a--a barrier between us. War has been declared,
I fear."

"I am ready to make friendly overtures," she said gaily. "Isn't there
some such thing as a treaty which requires a strong power to protect its
weaker ally in time of stress?"

"You mean that we may still be friends in spite of all that happened
last night?" he cried. She nodded her head and smiled, and he shook her
hand as only an impulsive American would.

"But Lord Huntingford? What will he say?" he asked.

"His Lordship's authority can be carried to a certain limit and no
farther," she said, and her eyes flashed. "He knows when to curse and
abuse; but he also knows when that attitude might operate against him.
He is not in a position to push me to the wall."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean he knows enough not to drive me to the point where I would turn
and fight." Hugh never had seen her so