s time was on his hands; but of course the
commodore, who had gone to Constantinople with the two other ships, had
to be obeyed to the letter, however mysterious his motives. It made no
difference that he was a fantastic, grumbling, arbitrary old commodore;
only a good while afterwards it occurred to Kate Theory that, for a
reserved, correct man, Captain Benyon had given her a considerable
proof of confidence, in speaking to her in these terms of his superior
officer. If he looked at all hot when he arrived at the _pension_,
she offered him a glass of cold "orangeade." Mildred thought this an
unpleasant drink,--she called it messy; but Kate adored it, and Captain
Benyon always accepted it.

The day I speak of, to change the subject, she called her sister's
attention to the extraordinary sharpness of a zigzagging cloud-shadow,
on the tinted slope of Vesuvius; but Mildred only remarked in answer
that she wished her sister would many the captain. It was in this
familiar way that constant meditation led Miss Theory to speak of him;
it shows how constantly she thought of him, for, in general, no one was
more ceremonious than she, and the failure of her health had not caused
her to relax any form that it was possible to keep up. There was a kind
of slim erectness, even in the way she lay on her sofa; and she always
received the doctor as if he were calling for the first time.

"I had better wait till he asks me," Kate Theory said. "Dear Milly, if
I were to do some of the things you wish me to do, I should shock you
very much."

"I wish he would marry you, then. You know there is very little time, if
I wish to see it."

"You will never see it, Mildred. I don't see why you should take so for
granted that I would accept him."

"You will never meet a man who has so few disagreeable qualities. He is
probably not enormously rich. I don't know what is the pay of a captain
in the navy--"

"It's a relief to find there is something you don't know," Kate Theory
broke in.

"But when I am gone," her sister went on calmly, "when I am gone there
will be plenty for both of you."

The younger sister, at this, was silent for a moment; then she
exclaimed, "Mildred, you may be out of health, but I don't see why you
should be dreadful!"

"You know that since we have been leading this life we have seen no
one we liked better," said Milly. When she spoke of the life they were
leading--there was always a soft resignation of regret and co