an being with me. I think
that children need both father and mother, don't you?"

"Yes," said Marcella dazedly, unable to follow Mrs. Hetherington's
reasoning.

"And you know," she went on, "I've a terrible feeling that poor Mistah
Petah's loneliness might lead him to--er--Oh dreadful things." She
dropped her voice to a whisper. "My dear--I believe he drinks," she
said, underlining the words. "I tried my best to look after him last
night," she added plaintively.

"Oh, did you?" said Marcella and suddenly stopped dead. "All this
looking after! What are we all up to? Is it impudence or vanity, or what
is it? I don't know! Anyway, I'm going below," and she turned abruptly
away.

As it was Sunday Marcella lost her crowd of children, who were claimed
for a church service by an enthusiastic missionary in the first class.
She spent the morning writing letters and reading. When she went to her
cabin to get ready for lunch there was a note pinned on to the mirror.
She took it down in surprise.

"I don't know your name," she read; "but I must see you. I've been going
through hell and I can't hold out. I understand myself very well; I know
what I need, but I can't do it. I've got to have someone to make me do
things. And if you make me do things I'll get huffy with you and try to
deceive you. It's pretty hopeless, isn't it? That pock-marked devil has
been trying to get me. That's why I've been taking to cover all this
time, partly. Come up on the fo'c'sle to-night at seven. I'll be
sitting on the anchor. For God's sake come. And don't laugh at me, will
you? I can't stand it. L. F."

Without pausing she took paper and pencil and wrote.

"I shall be there. Of course I shall not laugh at you. I cannot
understand anything. I am sorry to admit this, because you will say I am
like your parents. I am in muddles myself, but I am most sorry for you.
And my name is Marcella Lashcairn of Lashnagar."

She put it in an envelope, addressed it to him, tapped on his door and
pushed it under.

She went on deck that afternoon in a state of bubbling excitement. There
were not many people about. They were just getting into the Bay of
Biscay and the _Oriana_ was rolling a little; many had succumbed to
sea-sickness; many more were afraid of it and had gone to lie down in
their bunks. She took some books to read but did not open them for a
long time until the sea-glare had made her eyes ache.

Then she opened "Questing Cells," which she had