Siward's for the briefest
fraction of a second, then were averted. But into his face there crept
an expressionless pallor that did not escape Siward--no, nor Sylvia
Landis.

Presently under cover of a rapid fire of chatter she said: "Did you draw
that?"

"Yes; I had no idea it was meant for him. You may imagine how likely I'd
be to take any liberty with a man who already dislikes me."

"But it resembles him--in a very dreadful way."

"I know it. You must take my word for what I have told you."

She looked up at him: "I do." Then: "It's a pity; Mr. Quarrier does not
consider such things humourous. He--he is very sensitive. ... Oh, I wish
that fool Englishman had been in Ballyhoo!"

"But he didn't do it!"

"No, but he put you up to it--or Grace Ferrall did. I wish Grace would
let Mr. Quarrier alone; she has always been perfectly possessed to
plague him; she seems unable to take him seriously and he simply hates
it. I don't think he'd tolerate her if she were not his cousin.

"I'm awfully sorry," was all Siward said; and for a while he gloomily
busied himself with whatever was brought to him.

"Don't look that way," came a low voice beside him.

"Do I show everything as plainly as that?" he asked, curiously.

"I seem to read you--sometimes."

"It's very nice of you," he said.

"Nice?"

"To look at me--now and then."

"Oh," she cried resentfully, "don't be grateful."

"I--really am not you know," he said laughing.

"That," she rejoined slowly, "is the truth. You say conventional things
in a manner--in an agreeably personal manner that interests women. But
you are not grateful to anybody for anything; you are indifferent, and
you can't help being nice to people, so--some day--some girl will think
you are grateful, and will have a miserable time of it."

"Miserable time?"

"Waiting for you to say what never will enter your head to say."

"You mean I--I--"

"Flirt? No, I mean that you don't flirt; that you are always dreamily
occupied with your own affairs, from which listlessly congenial
occupation, when drawn, you are so unexpectedly nice that a girl
immediately desires to see how nice you can be."

"What a charming indictment you draw!" he said, amused.

"It's a grave one I assure you. I've been talking about you to Grace
Ferrall; I asked to be placed beside you at dinner; I told her I hadn't
had half enough of you on the cliff. Now what do you think of yourself
for being too nice to a suscepti