different intonation.

"I thought that would make him wince," murmured Jimmy to himself; and
then added aloud, "Never mind, old man; we won't pursue the subject any
further. It's not a nice one, and we've plenty else to think about,
have we not? Let me tell you, I am looking forward to this little
business more than I have ever done to anything. The only regret I
have about it is that there does not appear to be any probability of
our having some fighting. I must confess I should like to have a brush
with the enemy, if possible."

"In that case we should be lost men," Browne replied. "No; whatever we
do, we must avoid coming into actual conflict with the Authorities. By
the way, what about Maas?"

"I saw him this morning," Foote replied. "I told him what arrangements
we had made, and he will meet us whenever and wherever we wish. He
seemed quite elated over the prospect of the voyage, and told me he
thought it awfully good of you to take him. After all, he's not a bad
sort of fellow. There is only one thing I don't like about him, and
that is his predilection for wishing people to think he is in a
delicate state of health."

"And you don't think he is?" said Browne.

"Of course I don't," Jimmy replied. "Why, only this morning I was with
him more than an hour, and he didn't cough once; and yet he was
continually pointing out to me that it was so necessary for his
health--for his lungs, in fact---that he should go out of England at
once. It is my idea that he is hypochondriacal."

"Whatever he is, I wish to goodness he had chosen any other time for
wanting to accompany us. I have a sort of notion that his presence on
board will bring us bad luck."

"Nonsense," said his matter-of-fact friend. "Why should it? Maas
could do us no harm, even supposing he wanted to. And he's certain not
to have any desire that way."

"Well," answered Browne, "that is what I feel, and yet I can't make out
why I should do so." As he said this he pressed the ring Katharine had
given him, and remembered that that was his talisman, and that she had
told him that, while he wore it, he could come to no harm. With that
on his finger, and his love for her in his heart, it would be wonderful
indeed if he could not fulfil the task he had set himself to do.

It is strange how ignorant we are of the doings, and indeed of the very
lives, of our fellow-men. I do not mean the actions which, in the
broad light of day, lie in the o