landowners, for that
matter--when they don't buy them, they send their women to marry them,
confound it!"

He took half a dozen more strides and lifted his shoulders again.

"Beggarly lot as I am," he said, "unlikely as it seems that I can marry
at all, I'm hanged if I don't marry an Englishwoman, if I give my life
to a woman at all."

But, in fact, he was of the opinion that he should never give his life
to any woman, and this was because he was, at this period, also of the
opinion that there was small prospect of its ever being worth the giving
or taking. It had been one of those lives which begin untowardly and are
ruled by unfair circumstances.

He had a particularly well-cut and expressive mouth, and, as he went
back to the ship's side and leaned on his folded arms on the rail again,
its curves concealed a good deal of strong feeling.

The wharf was busier than before. In less than half an hour the ship
was to sail. The bustle and confusion had increased. There were people
hurrying about looking for friends, and there were people scribbling
off excited farewell messages at the telegraph office. The situation was
working up to its climax. An observing looker-on might catch glimpses of
emotional scenes. Many of the passengers were already on board, parties
of them accompanied by their friends were making their way up the
gangplank.

Salter had just been watching a luxuriously cared-for little invalid
woman being carried on deck in a reclining chair, when his attention
was attracted by the sound of trampling hoofs and rolling wheels. Two
noticeably big and smart carriages had driven up to the stopping-place
for vehicles. They were gorgeously of the latest mode, and their tall,
satin-skinned horses jangled silver chains and stepped up to their
noses.

"Here come the Worthingtons, whosoever they may be," thought
Salter. "The fine up-standing young woman is, no doubt, the
multi-millionairess."

The fine, up-standing young woman WAS the multi-millionairess. Bettina
walked up the gangway in the sunshine, and the passengers upon the upper
deck craned their necks to look at her. Her carriage of her head and
shoulders invariably made people turn to look.

"My, ain't she fine-looking!" exclaimed an excited lady beholder above.
"I guess that must be Miss Vanderpoel, the multi-millionaire's daughter.
Jane told me she'd heard she was crossing this trip."

Bettina heard her. She sometimes wondered if she was ever poi