an outrageous course. Poor, dear, sweet little Dorothy!"

The result to Dorothy of this conversation was a greater kindness than
ever on the part of Molly's people; who now seemed to take her into
their hearts as if she were of kin to them. She often found them looking
at her searchingly, trying to trace that "likeness" which one of them
had discovered. But no word of what was in their minds was said to her.
She was merely invited to call Mrs. Hungerford "Aunt" as she was to call
the Judge "Uncle."

So despite the dullness of the fog, which prevented her seeing much of
the ocean, the day passed very well. When she was asked if she could
play and to give her new friends a little music, she took the violin
from its shelf and gave them her simple best. To please them who were so
kind to her was a delight to herself and her readiness to oblige was
instantly construed by Aunt Lucretia as a fresh proof of her
"discovery."

"Only a well-born child has that easy grace of manner, Schuyler, as you
must often have observed," she remarked with pleased conviction.

To which he replied by warning:

"Take care you don't build up a romance that will fall to pieces like a
house of cards at the first breath of reality. But as to birth, be it
high or low, Dorothy is a most winning little maid and I'm thankful to
have her along with us on our holiday. Thankful, also, that impulsive
Molly chose just such an unselfish, ingenuous girl for her 'chum.' My
poor little lass! Her first ocean voyage will be a dreary memory for
her!"

"Oh! not so bad. She's perfectly comfortable when she lies still. She
has plenty of attention and sleeps a deal. She's not losing much fun out
here in this weather and will be no more glad to step onto solid land
again than I shall. Except that, but for this enforced close
companionship with little Dorothy I might not have thought out her story
as I have."

"There you go again! Well, the suggestion haunts me, too. I'll
investigate promptly; and--what I shall do after that I haven't yet
decided. I hate a meddler and am not anxious to become one. Heigho! No
matter how hard a tired man tries to mind his own business he can't do
it! Here comes that young Melvin Cook, and he's a lad with a pedigree,
let me tell you, as long as any oldest Marylander of all. He and I have
a bit of business to discuss, so I'll walk the deck with him awhile.
Dorothy, I suppose, will sleep in her own stateroom to-night, since Miss
Grea