lutely obliged to
say--of myself." She was beginning to be irritated with this man a
little. "I told him I had been very lucky," she said suddenly
despondent, missing Anthony's masterful manner, that something arbitrary
and tender which, after the first scare, she had accustomed herself to
look forward to with pleasurable apprehension. He was contemplating her
rather blankly. She had not taken off her outdoor things, hat, gloves.
She was like a caller. And she had a movement suggesting the end of a
not very satisfactory business call. "Perhaps it would be just as well
if we went ashore. Time yet."

He gave her a glimpse of his unconstrained self in the low vehement "You
dare!" which sprang to his lips and out of them with a most menacing
inflexion.

"You dare ... What's the matter now?"

These last words were shot out not at her but at some target behind her
back. Looking over her shoulder she saw the bald head with black
bunches of hair of the congested and devoted Franklin (he had his cap in
his hand) gazing sentimentally from the saloon doorway with his lobster
eyes. He was heard from the distance in a tone of injured innocence
reporting that the berthing master was alongside and that he wanted to
move the ship into the basin before the crew came on board.

His captain growled "Well, let him," and waved away the ulcerated and
pathetic soul behind these prominent eyes which lingered on the
offensive woman while the mate backed out slowly. Anthony turned to
Flora.

"You could not have meant it. You are as straight as they make them."

"I am trying to be."

"Then don't joke in that way. Think of what would become of--me."

"Oh yes. I forgot. No, I didn't mean it. It wasn't a joke. It was
forgetfulness. You wouldn't have been wronged. I couldn't have gone.
I--I am too tired."

He saw she was swaying where she stood and restrained himself violently
from taking her into his arms, his frame trembling with fear as though
he had been tempted to an act of unparalleled treachery. He stepped
aside and lowering his eyes pointed to the door of the stern-cabin. It
was only after she passed by him that he looked up and thus he did not
see the angry glance she gave him before she moved on. He looked after
her. She tottered slightly just before reaching the door and flung it
to behind her nervously.

Anthony--he had felt this crash as if the door had been slammed inside
his very breast--stood for a