Miss--Calypso recalls as naturally as I do, our momentary meeting in
Sweeney's store, one evening. I had no expectation, of course, that we
should meet again under such pleasant circumstances as this."

She gave me a grateful look as she took my hand, and with it--or was it
only my eager imagination?--a shy little pressure, again as of
gratitude.

I had tried to get into my voice my assurance that, of course, I
remembered no other more recent meeting--though, naturally, as she had
given that little start in the doorway, there had flashed on me again
the picture of her standing, moonlit, in another resounding doorway, and
of the wild start she had given then, as the golden pieces streamed from
her lovely surprised mouth, and her lifted hands. And her eyes--I could
have sworn--were the living eyes of Jack Harkaway! Had she a brother, I
wondered. Yet my mind was too dazzled and confused with her nearness to
pursue the speculation.

As we sat down to luncheon, waited upon by the little barelegged black
children--waited on, too, surprisingly well, despite the contortions of
their primitive embarrassment--my host once more resumed his character
of the classic king welcoming the storm-tossed stranger to his board.

"Far wanderer," he said, raising his glass to me, "eat of what our board
affords, welcome without question of name and nation. But if, when the
food and wine have done their genial office, and the weariness of your
journeying has fallen from you, you should feel stirred to tell us
somewhat of yourself and your wanderings, what manner of men call you
kinsman, in what fair land is your home and the place of your loved
ones, be sure that we shall count the tale good hearing, and, for our
part, make exchange in like fashion of ourselves and the passage of our
days in this lonely isle."

We all laughed as he ended--himself with a whinny of laughter. For, odd
as such discourse may sound in the reading, it was uttered so
whimsically, and in so spirited and humorous a style that I assure you
it was very captivating.

"You should have been an actor, my lord Alcinoues," I said, laughing. I
seemed already curiously at home, seated there at that table with this
fantastic stranger and that being out of fairyland, toward whom I dared
only turn my eyes now and again by stealth. The strange fellow had such
a way with him, and his talk made you feel that he had known you all
your life.

"Ah! I have had my dreams. I have ha