eyed to the Bandmaster by a Marine waiter, the
band in the flat outside came suddenly to a stop.

Down came the President's hammer, and the name of the King preceded the
raising of glasses. Then the violins outside resumed their whimpering
melody; coffee followed a second circulation of the decanters, and
presently the smoke of cigars and cigarettes began to eddy across the
polished mahogany.

A few minutes later the Master-at-Arms entered the Wardroom, and stepping
up to the Commander's chair, reported something in a low voice. The
Commander turned sideways to the guest of the evening. "Will you excuse
me if I leave you?" he said. "I have to go the rounds." And rising from
the table left a gap at Sir William's side. Intimate conversation
between uncle and nephew, hitherto impracticable, was now possible.

"How's Cecily, Uncle Bill?" asked James. "Which reminds me," he added,
"that I met Armitage when I was coming back from leave."

Sir William removed his cigar and contemplated the pale ash with
inscrutable eyes.

"I heard from Armitage," he replied. "Did you by any chance meet his
companion on the journey up?"

James shook his head. "No, I only saw Armitage for a moment, and that
was in the darkness at the rail-head. But you haven't told me how Cecily
is."

"She wants to go to America," replied his uncle.

"America!" echoed his nephew. "Why?"

"To stay with an old school friend. It seems she wants to go over for a
Newport season."

"But," said James and paused, "are you going to let her go, Uncle Bill?"

"She says she's going," was her guardian's reply.

James smoked in silence for a moment.

"But Newport," he said. "Where on earth did Cecily develop a taste for
that sort of life?"

"Read about it in a book, I fancy," said Sir William.

"But it isn't the sort of thing I can imagine appealing to Cecily in the
least," objected her cousin. "I know what Cecily likes--pottering about
in old tweeds with a dog, sketching and fishing. I can't see her at
Bailey's Beach surf-bathing with millionaires in the family diamonds.
Besides, what about her war work--her Hospital Supply Depot?"

Sir William made no answer.

"Is she unhappy about anything?" pursued James. "Has Armitage been
making love to her? I know he used to follow her about like a sick dog,
but I didn't know it upset her."

Sir William smiled. "No," he said, "I shouldn't have said so either.
But I don't claim any profound insig