ompanions--parted company.

"I thought you had given me the wrong cup," he said, simply.

The explanation seemed to Captain Trimblett quite inadequate. He
sat turning it over in his mind, and even the rising colour in Miss
Hartley's cheek did not serve to enlighten him. But he was glad to
notice that she was becoming reserved again. Mr. Vyner noticed it, too,
and, raging inwardly against a tongue which was always striving after
his undoing, began with a chastened air to criticise the architecture of
the new chapel in Porter Street. Architecture being a subject of which
the captain knew nothing, he discussed it at great length, somewhat
pleased to find that both his listeners were giving him their undivided
attention.

He was glad to notice, when they went up on deck again, that his guests
had but little to say to each other, and, with a view to keeping them
apart as much as possible, made no attempt to detain her when Joan rose
and said that she must be going. She shook hands and then turned to Mr.
Vyner.

"Oh, I must be going, too," said that gentleman.

He helped her ashore and, with a wave of his hand to Captain Trimblett,
set off by her side. At the bridge, where their ways homeward diverged,
Joan half stopped, but Mr. Vyner, gazing straight ahead, kept on.

"Fine chap, Captain Trimblett," he said, suddenly.

"He is the kindest man I know," said Joan, warmly.

Mr. Vyner sang his praises for three hundred yards, secretly conscious
that his companion was thinking of ways and means of getting rid of
him. The window of a confectioner's shop at last furnished the necessary
excuse.

"I have got a little shopping to do," she said, diving in suddenly.
"Good-by."

"The 'good-by' was so faint that it was apparent to her as she stood in
the shop and gave a modest order for chocolates that he had not heard
it. She bit her lip, and after a glance at the figure outside, added
to her order a large one for buns. She came out of the shop with a bag
overflowing with them.

"Let me," said Mr. Vyner, hastily.

Miss Hartley handed them over at once, and, walking by his side, strove
hard to repress malicious smiles. She walked slowly and gave appraising
glances at shop windows, pausing finally at a greengrocer's to purchase
some bananas. Mr. Vyner, with the buns held in the hollow of his
arm, watched her anxiously, and his face fell as she agreed with the
greengrocer as to the pity of spoiling a noble bunch he was displayi