s he your father or your brother?" Dan inquired.

"My husband!"

Then it was that Midshipman Dalzell's face had gone so suddenly
gray. He fairly gasped and felt as though he were choking.

"Mr. Dalzell," spoke Mrs. Henshaw, earnestly, "let us both forget
that you ever spoke such unfortunate words. Let us forget it
all, and let it pass as though nothing had happened at all. I
will confess that, two or three times, I thought you addressed
me as 'miss.' I believed it to be only a slip of the tongue.
I didn't dream that you didn't know. Even if I were a single
woman I wouldn't think of encouraging you for a moment, for I
am much---much---too old for you. And now, let us immediately
forget it all, Mr. Dalzell. Shall we continue our stroll?"

Somehow the dazed midshipman managed to reply gracefully, and
to follow his fair companion from Wiegard's.

"Poor Dan!" sighed Dave. "I'll wager that's the worst crusher
that Dalzell ever had. But how do you read so much at a glance,
Belle?"

"By keeping my eyes moderately well opened," that young woman
answered simply.

"I wonder where poor Dan's adventures in search of a wife are
going to end up?" mused Darrin.

"He'd better accept the course that you outlined for him a little
while ago," half smiled Belle. "Dan's very best course will be
to devote his thoughts wholly to his profession for a few years,
and wait until the right woman comes along and chooses him for
herself. You may tell Dan, from me, some time, if it won't hurt
his feelings, that I think his only safe course is to shut his
eyes and let the woman do the choosing."

"I must be a most remarkably fine fellow myself," remarked Midshipman
Darrin modestly.

"Why do you think that?"

"Why, a girl with eyes as sharp as yours, Belle, would never have
accepted me if there had been a visible flaw on me anywhere."

"There are no very pronounced flaws except those that I can remedy
when I take charge of you, Dave," replied Belle with what might
have been disconcerting candor.

"Then I'm lucky in at least one thing," laughed Darrin good-humoredly.
"When my turn comes I shall be made over by a most capable young
woman. Then I shall be all but flawless."

"Or else I shall take a bride's privilege," smiled Belle demurely,
"and go back to mother."

"You'll have plenty of time for that," teased Dave. "A Naval
officer's time is spent largely at sea, and he can't take his
wife with him."

"Don't remind me