in order to prolong the
interchange of wordless messages.

Later in the day Helen was seated apart from the crowd in the rotunda.
She wanted to get away from herself but there was no desire to seek
companionship. Consequently she was annoyed at the sound of footsteps
which evidently had her for an object. She was more annoyed when a chair
was dragged from its position and thrust beside her own. She did not
even turn her head when she heard a slump in the chair which testified
that the intruder intended to maintain his position. With no preliminary
cough, a rugged voice remarked:

"Pretty considerable goin' on in these parts, if 'tis three thousand
miles from nowhere, an' a hard road at that."

Helen's annoyance vanished. She turned brightly to the old man.

"Please excuse me. I didn't know who it was till you spoke."

"If you know now, you've got the advantage 'o me, in one sense. I'm
Uncle Sid Harwood, retired sea captain, at present cruisin' for
pleasure."

Helen bowed with sedate humor.

"I'm Helen Lonsdale and nothing in particular."

Uncle Sid Harwood surveyed his companion leisurely.

"First time I ever found nothin' in particular worth while. You come
from around here?"

"Yes, I'm Californian, born and bred."

"Glad to know it. I've been lyin' at anchor here some days lookin' for a
pilot. I reckoned you knew the harbor. Met a young fellow by the name o'
Berl?"

"Elijah Berl?" Helen asked in surprise.

"That's him."

"Why yes, of course I have. He's president of the Las Cruces Irrigation
Company."

"Praisin' the Lord an' callyhootin' around like a sky rocket with its
tail a-fire?" pursued Uncle Sid.

Helen laughed at the apt though rather superficial analogy.

"Yes, but he's not all fire and fizz after all. He is doing things worth
while."

"Don't doubt it." Uncle Sid spoke with conviction. "He always carried
high steam, an' I guessed he'd do something, if he got hitched to an
engine that would stand the pressure."

"Wouldn't you like to see him? He's in the hotel now, I think. I'll send
for him."

Uncle Sid made no objections and Helen beckoned a waiter.

"Please see if Mr. Berl is in his room and tell him he's wanted."

"Eunice an' I thought maybe we'd see 'Lige. That's one reason why we
came here instead o' somewhere's else. Eunice's my sister," Uncle Sid
added.

Before Helen had time to reply, she heard the quick beat of Elijah's
feet on the floor.

"That's him," Uncle Sid re