ve story spiced with
the beauties of nature and exciting adventures. A novel with a purpose,
Alfonso, should advertise under another name for it is a cheat. It is
often written with a deliberate attempt to beguile a person into reading
a story which the writer deliberately planned to be simply the medium of
conveying useful or useless information. Possibly a social panacea, or
the theme may include any subject from separating gold from the ocean,
to proving the validity of the latest theory on electricity."

"Leo, you go too far," said Mrs. Harris, "the modern novel that appears
in press and magazine, and later in book form, entering all our homes,
should teach high morality and contain only proper scenes and passages."

"But, mother," said Lucille, "you would thus debar many of the world's
masterpieces in literature. It seems to me that the morality of character
and scene has little to do with the artistic value of the book. The
realist must depict life as it is. 'Art, for art's sake,' is what
commends a novel to artistic minds."

"The modern novel is too much like modern architecture," said the judge,
"a combination of classical and subsequent styles thrown together to
satisfy groups of individuals rather than to conform to well accepted
rules or ideas of art. Modern novels and modern architecture are sure
to give way to nobler thoughts that shall practically harmonize the
useful and the beautiful."

Dr. Argyle, having asked for opinions on the modern novel, obtained them.
He was an earnest listener as he had wished more knowledge of the Harris
family, which would enable him the better to lay plans; he hoped to win
Lucille's favor.

It was now a quarter to six o'clock and many passengers, including the
Harris group, moved to the port side of the ship to observe if the sun,
at the expiration of twelve hours, would again touch the water. This
twenty-first day of the month had been one of Lowell's rare June days.
It had been ushered in by beautiful cloud coloring.

The ocean was now free from mist, the blue clouds overhead darkened the
sea to the horizon, and it looked as if the sun would set behind clouds.
Unexpectedly, however, the clouds near the water separated, and the sun
again appeared in all his glory, sending a weird light out over the
water, gilding the "Majestic," flooding the faces of the passengers with
an unnatural light, and bringing into strong relief a sailing craft
hovering on the starboard horizo