. "Look here, Mr. James Hambleton, of Lynn! I promise to do
anything, or everything, that you honestly want, after you get well.
I'll listen to you then. But I'm not going to let a man who is just
out of a delirium make love to me."

"But I'm not just out. I only had a whack on the head, and that's
nothing. I'm strong as an ox. I'm saner than anybody. Do listen to
me, Agatha."

"No--no, I mustn't."

"But tell me, dear. You're free? You're not--" he searched for the
word that suited his mood--"you're not plighted?"

She smiled. "No, I'm not plighted."

"Ah!" he chortled, and seized both her hands, putting them to his lips.
She stood over him, looking down tenderly.

[Illustration: She stood over him, looking down tenderly.]

"Time for your broth, Mr. Hambleton, and Mr. Straker wants to know if
he can see you," interrupted Mr. Hand.

"Can't see him, Andy. I'm very busy," began Jim; then added, "By the
way, who is Mr. Straker?"

"Tell him he may come in for a few minutes, Mr. Hand," directed Agatha.
Presently the manager was being introduced in the properest manner to
the invalid. Agatha, knowing James would need protection from
quizzing, stayed by.

"Now, tell me," wheedled Mr. Straker, "the whole story just exactly as
it happened to you, please. It's very important that I should know all
the details."

So Jimmy, aided now and then by Agatha, delivered a Straker-ized
version of the wreck and the arrival at Ilion.

"But before that," questioned the manager. "How did you happen to be
on the _Jeanne D'Arc_?"

For the first time James hesitated. Not even Agatha knew that part of
the story. "I was picked up by the _Jeanne D'Arc_ in New York harbor,"
he replied slowly.

Mr. Straker frowned. "How--picked up?"

"Out of the water."

"What were you in the water for?"

"I had just dropped off a tug."

"What for?"

"Because I wanted the yacht to pick me up."

At this point Mr. Straker directed a commiserating look at Agatha. It
said "Crazy" as plain as words.

"What were you on the tug for?"

"I had followed the yacht."

"What for?"

The pause before James's next answer was apparent. When it came, there
came with it that same seven-year-old look of smiling ingenuousness.
"I just wanted to see what they were going to do with Miss Redmond."

"Jimminy Christmas!" exploded Mr. Straker. "Any more kinks in this
story? How'd you know they'd stolen Miss Redmond?"

And so Jimmy had to