ell tell you. I
will begin at the beginning, and you will see that I could not help
it: that is--For Mercy's sake don't look at me as if I were a
criminal, or I won't say another word!"

"Nonsense, Eleanor! I am not looking at you as if you were a criminal.
Go on and tell me."

"It is too late now," she said hastily: "I have been here so long
already. I will see you to-morrow."

"If you dare to go without making a full confession, I will never
forgive you. Sit down: the sooner it is over the more composed you
will feel. I have been so anxious to hear about it!"

"Well, if it must be. I know you will be disgusted. I have to begin when
we left here."

"I have plenty of time to listen."

"You remember we started on the voyage by ourselves. At our first
dinner on board aunt recognized an old friend, a Mrs. Kenderdine,
who was also crossing, together with her son. That first dinner was
our last for some time, for, though we tried to be as strong-minded
as possible, in the end we were obliged to stay in our cabins.
Having recovered sooner than aunt, one day I stumbled out as far as
the companion-way, and was sitting there very disconsolately when
Mr. Kenderdine, passing by, stopped to ask if he should assist me on
deck. Of course I was only too glad to go. He had not been sick at
all, and could walk about quite easily, which gave me a high opinion
of his abilities. Later he brought me my dinner, with a glass of
wine, of which he did not spill a drop, and by evening I found that
with the aid of his arm I could promenade.

"That day was a sample of all until the voyage was over, for if I
attempted to move alone I stumbled, rolled and behaved with a lack
of dignity that was frightful; and yet, after getting a taste of
fresh air, I could not bear to stay below. Somehow, it became
understood that each morning Mr. Kenderdine might find me in the
companion-way at a certain hour; and as aunt would not leave her
state-room, and old Mrs. Kenderdine could not, we had nothing to do
but to try and amuse each other; so we ended by becoming pretty well
acquainted by the time we arrived at Queenstown.

"In England aunt was very busy. You used to think her a student
here: I wish you could have seen her there. For six months she spent
almost every hour of daylight in the library of the British Museum,
where she had been introduced