w there is a sense of suspended
activity, of waiting, with a glimmering air-castle rising like an
iridescent bubble out of the hazy future. Sometimes there are two
welcoming faces at a window and sometimes the indistinct figure of a
woman stretching out a forbidding hand, my chief's sister, who may not
want a third person in the family!

* * * * *

S.S. Diana, February 13, 1918

Dolly went on the bridge this afternoon and stayed a half-hour with
the captain, giving no reason save that she liked to talk with him,
which seemed plausible, but did not satisfy me. At bedtime I
discovered her unpacking and laying out in her upper berth a dazzling
toilet for our landing at St. Thomas to-morrow. She blushed when I
looked in upon her.

"Do dress 'up to me,' Charlotte," she coaxed. "I don't want to be
conspicuous. Wear your gray georgette and the broad hat with the
roses."

"Why this sudden display of vanity and good clothes?"

"Hasn't your letter of introduction to Governor Oliver brought us an
invitation to luncheon at Government House?"

"Yes; but I don't suppose it is a banquet."

"Charlotte, I must confide in you."

"I should think it was about time."

"What do you mean?"

"I have known for days that you were concealing something."

"I didn't want to be secretive, but I thought it was only fair to you
to keep my own counsel. Now you can report to mother that you knew
nothing, and that therefore you couldn't interfere."

"But what have you done? You can't be secretly married--with your
chosen man in Washington and you on the vasty deep."

"No; but I'm next door to it."

"What do you mean by 'next door'? Have you a groom and a minister
waiting on the New York dock?"

"No; mother will be there, but I fear she won't bring a minister. I'm
so glad you imagined something far, far worse than I ever intended. It
shows that you are more audacious than I--though nobody would believe
it."

"I don't like your tone; but go on."

"I've been communicating rather frequently with Duke."

"So I fancied, from your changing money at every stop and doing
continual sums on paper."

"It has made me a pauper--this telegraphing in war-time. The messages
go by Jamaica or Porto Rico or Trinidad or Bermuda and lots of other
islands, and I think some of the messages must be personally conducted
straight to New York by powerful swimmers, judging by