h, all day,
and eat a great deal. . . ."

"My dear Miss Gueldmar, I also do all these things!" declared Errington
amusedly. "These are only our surface faults. Englishmen are the best
fellows to be found anywhere. You mustn't judge them by their athletic
sports, or their vulgar appetites. You must appeal to their hearts when
you want to know them."

"Or to their pockets, and you will know them still better!" said Thelma
almost mischievously, as she raised herself in her chair to take a cup
of coffee from the tray that was then being handed to her by the
respectful steward. "Ah, how good this is! It reminds me of our coffee
luncheon at Arles!"

Errington watched her with a half-smile, but said no more, as the others
now came up to claim their share of her company.

"I say!" said Lorimer, lazily throwing himself full length on the deck
and looking up at her, "come and see us spear a salmon to-morrow, Miss
Gueldmar. Your father is going to show us how to do it in the proper
Norse style."

"That is for men," said Thelma loftily. "Women must know nothing about
such things."

"By Jove!" and Lorimer looked profoundly astonished. "Why, Miss Gueldmar,
women are going in for everything nowadays! Hunting, shooting,
bull-fighting, duelling, horse-whipping, lecturing,--heaven knows what!
They stop at nothing--salmon-spearing is a mere trifle in the list of
modern feminine accomplishments."

Thelma smiled down upon him benignly. "You will always be the same," she
said with a sort of indulgent air. "It is your delight to say things
upside down? But you shall not make me believe that women do all these
dreadful things. Because, how is it possible? The men would not allow
them!"

Errington laughed, and Lorimer appeared stupefied with surprise.

"The men--would--not--allow them?" he repeated slowly. "Oh, Miss
Gueldmar, little do you realize the state of things at the present day!
The glamor of Viking memories clings about you still! Don't you know the
power of man has passed away, and that ladies do exactly as they like?
It is easier to control the thunderbolt than to prevent a woman having
her own way."

"All that is nonsense!" said Thelma decidedly. "Where there is a man to
rule, he _must_ rule, that is certain."

"Is that positively your opinion?" and Lorimer looked more astonished
than ever.

"It is everybody's opinion, of course!" averred Thelma. "How foolish it
would be if women did not obey men! The world would be