ch cold-blooded terms!" Mrs. Nettlepoint wailed. "Elle ne sait
pas se conduire; she ought to have come to ask about me."

"Yes, since you're under her care," I laughed. "As for her not knowing
how to behave--well, that's exactly what we shall see."

"You will, but not I! I wash my hands of her."

"Don't say that--don't say that."

Mrs. Nettlepoint looked at me a moment. "Why do you speak so solemnly?"

In return I considered her. "I'll tell you before we land. And have you
seen much of your son?"

"Oh yes, he has come in several times. He seems very much pleased. He
has got a cabin to himself."

"That's great luck," I said, "but I've an idea he's always in luck. I
was sure I should have to offer him the second berth in my room."

"And you wouldn't have enjoyed that, because you don't like him," she
took upon herself to say.

"What put that into your head?"

"It isn't in my head--it's in my heart, my _coeur de mere_. We guess
those things. You think he's selfish. I could see it last night."

"Dear lady," I contrived promptly enough to reply, "I've no general ideas
about him at all. He's just one of the phenomena I am going to observe.
He seems to me a very fine young man. However," I added, "since you've
mentioned last night I'll admit that I thought he rather tantalised you.
He played with your suspense."

"Why he came at the last just to please me," said Mrs. Nettlepoint.

I was silent a little. "Are you sure it was for your sake?"

"Ah, perhaps it was for yours!"

I bore up, however, against this thrust, characteristic of perfidious
woman when you presume to side with her against a fond tormentor. "When
he went out on the balcony with that girl," I found assurance to suggest,
"perhaps she asked him to come for _hers_."

"Perhaps she did. But why should he do everything she asks him--such as
she is?"

"I don't know yet, but perhaps I shall know later. Not that he'll tell
me--for he'll never tell me anything: he's not," I consistently opined,
"one of those who tell."

"If she didn't ask him, what you say is a great wrong to her," said Mrs.
Nettlepoint.

"Yes, if she didn't. But you say that to protect Jasper--not to protect
her," I smiled.

"You _are_ cold-blooded--it's uncanny!" my friend exclaimed.

"Ah this is nothing yet! Wait a while--you'll see. At sea in general
I'm awful--I exceed the limits. If I've outraged her in thought I'll
jump overboard. There are ways of a