could elevate the soul of woman, it now elevated the soul of Mrs.
Cliff.

This was her own ship which was going out upon the ocean! This was her
engine which was making everything shake and tremble! The great screw
which was dashing the water at the stern and forcing the vessel through
the waves belonged to her! Everything--the smoke-stacks, the tall masts,
the nautical instruments--was her property! The crew and stewards, the
engineers, were all in her service! She was going to the beautiful
island of the sunny tropics because she herself had chosen to go there!

It was with great satisfaction, too, that she thought of the cost of all
this. A great deal of money had been paid for that yacht, and it had
relieved, as scarcely any other expenditure she would be likely to make
could have relieved, the strain upon her mind occasioned by the pressure
of her income. Even after the building of her new apartments her money
had been getting the better of her. Now she felt that she was getting
the better of her money.

By the way the yacht rolled and, at the same time, pitched and tossed,
Mrs. Cliff thought it likely that they must be out upon the open sea,
or, at least, well down the outer bay. She liked the motion, and the
feeling that her property, moving according to her will, was riding
dominant over the waves of the sea, sent a genial glow through every
vein. It was now quite light, and when Mrs. Cliff got up and looked out
of her round window she could see, far away to the right, the towering
lighthouses of Sandy Hook.

About eight o'clock she dressed and went out on deck. She was proud of
her good sailing qualities. As she went up the companion-way, holding
firmly to the bright brass rail, she felt no more fear of falling than
if she had been one of the crew. When she came out on the upper deck,
she had scarcely time to look about her, when a man, whom at first sight
she took for a stranger, came forward with outstretched hand. But in an
instant she saw it was not a stranger,--it was Captain Burke, but not as
she had ever seen him before. He was dressed in a complete suit of white
duck with gold buttons, and he wore a white cap trimmed with gold,--an
attire so different from his high silk hat and the furs that it was no
wonder that at first she did not recognize their wearer.

"Why, Captain Burke," she cried, "I didn't know you!"

"No wonder," said he; "this is a considerable change from my ordinary
toggery, but it'