other day in which to
make up her mind to go with him peaceably, and again he concluded that
a bird in the hand was worth two in the bush.

Brewster stood gloomily on the outside of the excited group glowering
upon the ugly suitor. Cooler heads had relegated him to this place of
security during the diplomatic contest. The sheik's threats of
vengeance were direful. He swore by somebody's beard that he would
bring ten thousand men to establish his claim by force. His intense
desire to fight for her then and there was quelled by Captain Perry's
detachment of six lusty sailors, whose big bare fists were shaken
vigorously under a few startled noses. It took all the fight out of the
sheik and his train. Three retainers fell into the sea while trying to
retreat as far as possible from danger.

Mohammed departed with the irate declaration that he would come another
day and that the whole world would tremble at his approach. Disgusted
with himself and afraid to meet the eyes of the other men, Brewster
went below in search of Peggy. He took time to comfort the anxious
women who crowded about him and then asked for Miss Gray. She was in
her stateroom and would not come forth. When he knocked at the door a
dismal, troubled voice from within told him to go away.

"Come out, Peggy; it's all over," he called.

"Please go away, Monty," she said.

"What are you doing in there?" There was a long pause, and then came
the pitiful little wail: "I am unpacking, please, sir."

That night Brewster entertained on board the yacht, several resident
French and English acquaintances being the guests of honor. The story
of the day was told by Mrs. Dan DeMille, commissioned especially for
the duty. She painted the scene so vividly that the guests laughed with
joy over the discomfiture of the sheik. Peggy and Brewster found
themselves looking sheepishly at one another now and then in the course
of the recital. She purposely had avoided him during the evening, but
she had gamely endured the raillery that came from the rest of the
party. If she was a bit pale, it was not surprising. Now that it was
over the whole affair appalled her more than she could have suspected.
When several of the guests of the evening soberly announced that
Mohammed was a dangerous man and even an object of worry to the
government she felt a strange catch in her throat and her now mirthless
eyes turned instinctively to Brewster, who, it seemed, was the sheik's
special obj