ble of
being moved by either."

Rachel was a good deal stung by his banter, which she felt to be
directed equally against them both, but she could think of no repartee.

"Nothing moves Hirst," Hewet laughed; he did not seem to be stung at
all. "Unless it were a transfinite number falling in love with a finite
one--I suppose such things do happen, even in mathematics."

"On the contrary," said Hirst with a touch of annoyance, "I consider
myself a person of very strong passions." It was clear from the way he
spoke that he meant it seriously; he spoke of course for the benefit of
the ladies.

"By the way, Hirst," said Hewet, after a pause, "I have a terrible
confession to make. Your book--the poems of Wordsworth, which if you
remember I took off your table just as we were starting, and certainly
put in my pocket here--"

"Is lost," Hirst finished for him.

"I consider that there is still a chance," Hewet urged, slapping himself
to right and left, "that I never did take it after all."

"No," said Hirst. "It is here." He pointed to his breast.

"Thank God," Hewet exclaimed. "I need no longer feel as though I'd
murdered a child!"

"I should think you were always losing things," Helen remarked, looking
at him meditatively.

"I don't lose things," said Hewet. "I mislay them. That was the reason
why Hirst refused to share a cabin with me on the voyage out."

"You came out together?" Helen enquired.

"I propose that each member of this party now gives a short biographical
sketch of himself or herself," said Hirst, sitting upright. "Miss
Vinrace, you come first; begin."

Rachel stated that she was twenty-four years of age, the daughter of a
ship-owner, that she had never been properly educated; played the piano,
had no brothers or sisters, and lived at Richmond with aunts, her mother
being dead.

"Next," said Hirst, having taken in these facts; he pointed at Hewet. "I
am the son of an English gentleman. I am twenty-seven," Hewet began. "My
father was a fox-hunting squire. He died when I was ten in the hunting
field. I can remember his body coming home, on a shutter I suppose, just
as I was going down to tea, and noticing that there was jam for tea, and
wondering whether I should be allowed--"

"Yes; but keep to the facts," Hirst put in.

"I was educated at Winchester and Cambridge, which I had to leave after
a time. I have done a good many things since--"

"Profession?"

"None--at least--"

"Tastes?"

"