tears in his eyes; he pretends to laugh, but the
tears are there all the time. Now I see in you--" she paused, and her
questioning eyes rested on his, seriously.

"This is interesting!" said Lorimer, lazily drawing a camp-stool
opposite to her, and seating himself thereon. "I had no idea I was a
human riddle. Can you read me, Miss Gueldmar?"

"Yes," she answered slowly and meditatively. "Just a little. But I will
not say anything; no--except this--that you are not altogether what you
seem."

"Here, Phil!" called Lorimer, as he saw Errington approaching, arm in
arm with Olaf Gueldmar, "come and admire this young lady's power of
perception. She declares I am not such a fool as I look!"

"Now," said Thelma, shaking her forefinger at him, "you know very well
that I did not put it in that way. But is it not true, Sir Philip--" and
she looked up for a moment, though her eyes drooped again swiftly under
his ardent gaze, "is it not true that many people do hide their
feelings, and pretend to be quite different to what they are?"

"I should say it was a very common fault," replied Errington. "It is a
means of self-defense against the impertinent curiosity of outsiders.
But Lorimer is free from it,--he has nothing to hide. At any rate, he
has no secrets from me,--I'm sure of that!" And he clapped his hand
heartily on his friend's shoulder.

Lorimer flushed slightly, but made no remark, and at that moment
Macfarlane emerged from the saloon, where the writing of his journal had
till now detained him. In the general handshaking and salutations which
followed, the conversation took a different turn, for which Lorimer was
devoutly thankful. His face was a tell-tale one,--and he was rather
afraid of Philip's keen eyes. "I hope to Heaven he'll speak to her
to-day," he thought, vexedly. "I hate being in suspense! My mind will be
easier when I once know that he has gained his point,--and that there's
not the ghost of a chance for any other fellow!"

Meanwhile the yacht skimmed along by the barren and rocky coast of
Seiland; the sun was dazzling; yet there was a mist in the air as though
the heavens were full of unshed tears. A bank of nearly motionless
clouds hung behind the dark, sharp peaks of the Altenguard mountains,
which now lay to the southward, as the vessel pursued her course. There
was no wind; the flag on the mast flapped idly now and then with the
motion of the yacht; and Thelma found herself too warm with her pretty
c