for his visit.

Mr. Burton performed the ceremony of introduction with some awkwardness;
Mr. Stiles was affecting a stateliness of manner which was not without
distinction; and Mrs. Dutton, in a black silk dress and the cameo brooch
which had belonged to her mother, was no less important. Mr. Burton had
an odd feeling of inferiority.

[Illustration: "Mr. Stiles was affecting a stateliness of manner which
was not without distinction."]

"It's a very small place to ask you to, Admiral Peters," said the widow,
offering him a chair.

"It's comfortable, ma'am," said Mr. Stiles, looking round approvingly.
"Ah, you should see some of the palaces I've been in abroad; all show and
no comfort. Not a decent chair in the place. And, as for the
antimacassars----"

"Are you making a long stay, Admiral Peters?" inquired the delighted
widow.

"It depends," was the reply. "My intention was just to pay a flying
visit to my honest old friend Burton here--best man in my squadron--but
he is so hospitable, he's been pressing me to stay for a few weeks."

"But the admiral says he must get back to-morrow morning," interposed Mr.
Burton, firmly.

"Unless I have a letter at breakfast-time, Burton," said Mr. Stiles,
serenely.

Mr. Burton favoured him with a mutinous scowl.

"Oh, I do hope you will," said Mrs. Dutton.

"I have a feeling that I shall," said Mr. Stiles, crossing glances with
his friend. "The only thing is my people; they want me to join them at
Lord Tufton's place."

Mrs. Dutton trembled with delight at being in the company of a man with
such friends. "What a change shore-life must be to you after the perils
of the sea!" she murmured.

"Ah!" said Mr. Stiles. "True! True!"

"The dreadful fighting," said Mrs. Dutton, closing her eyes and
shuddering.

"You get used to it," said the hero, simply. "Hottest time I had I think
was at the bombardment of Alexandria. I stood alone. All the men who
hadn't been shot down had fled, and the shells were bursting round me
like--like fireworks."

The widow clasped her hands and shuddered again.

"I was standing just behind 'im, waiting any orders he might give," said
Mr. Burton.

"Were you?" said Mr. Stiles, sharply--"were you? I don't remember it,
Burton."

"Why," said Mr. Burton, with a faint laugh, "I was just behind you, sir.
If you remember, sir, I said to you that it was pretty hot work."

Mr. Stiles affected to consider. "No, Burton," he said, bluffly