rchiefs,
which fluttered from the crowd on the shore. His eyes sparkled with a
proud light as he stretched himself upward, raising his head and
throwing back his shoulders with a triumphant movement. He looked like a
young sea-king just crowned; and the fact is the less wonderful,
therefore, that Mara felt her heart throb as she looked at him, and that
a treacherous throb of the same nature shook the breezy ribbons
fluttering over the careless heart of Sally. A handsome young
sea-captain, treading the deck of his own vessel, is, in his time and
place, a prince.

Moses looked haughtily across at Sally, and then passed a half-laughing
defiant flash of eyes between them. He looked at Mara, who could
certainly not have known what was in her eyes at the moment,--an
expression that made his heart give a great throb, and wonder if he saw
aright: but it was gone a moment after, as all gathered around in a knot
exchanging congratulations on the fortunate way in which the affair had
gone off. Then came the launching in boats to go back to the collation
on shore, where were high merry-makings for the space of one or two
hours: and thus was fulfilled the first part of Moses Pennel's Saturday
afternoon prediction.

CHAPTER XXXI

GREEK MEETS GREEK

Moses was now within a day or two of the time of his sailing, and yet
the distance between him and Mara seemed greater than ever. It is
astonishing, when two people are once started on a wrong understanding
with each other, how near they may live, how intimate they may be, how
many things they may have in common, how many words they may speak, how
closely they may seem to simulate intimacy, confidence, friendship,
while yet there lies a gulf between them that neither crosses,--a
reserve that neither explores.

Like most shy girls, Mara became more shy the more really she understood
the nature of her own feelings. The conversation with Sally had opened
her eyes to the secret of her own heart, and she had a guilty feeling as
if what she had discovered must be discovered by every one else. Yes, it
was clear she loved Moses in a way that made him, she thought, more
necessary to her happiness than she could ever be to his,--in a way that
made it impossible to think of him as wholly and for life devoted to
another, without a constant inner conflict. In vain had been all her
little stratagems practiced upon herself the whole summer long, to prove
to herself that she was glad that t