s to Madge. "She won't
undertake it in this case," was her brusque comment. "I have no
ambition to enlighten continental heathen, with their superior
tolerance of a faith good enough for women and children."

"My charming rose has not only a thorn but a theological stiletto in
her belt."

"It is evident you have never had trouble, Graydon."

"Why is it evident?"

"Because you are content with the surface-tide of life."

"And you are not?"

"One rarely is when fearing to sink."

"What has that to do with faith?"

"Faith can sustain; that's all."

"And your faith sustained you?"

"What else was there to sustain when day after day brought, not a
choice of pleasures, but the question, Shall I live or die?"

"Poor Madge! Dear Madge! And you didn't let me know. I don't suppose I
could have helped you, though."

"No; not then."

"Madge," he said, earnestly, "won't you promise me one thing? If you
ever should have trouble of any kind again, won't you let me help you,
or at least try to?"

"I'll see how you behave," she said, laughing. "Besides, it's not
women's place to make trouble for men. The idea! Our mission is to
soothe and console you superior beings."

"Women do make a power of trouble for men. Mother Eve began wrong,
and--"

"And Adam laid all his misdeeds on her weak shoulders."

"The upshot of all this talk is, I suppose, that your shoulders are
so strong, and your spirit so high, that you can at least take care of
your own troubles."

"I hope so," she again laughed, "and be ready also to give you a lift.
When you successful men do get a tumble in life, you are the most
helpless of mortals."

"Well, well, well, to think that I am talking to little Madge, who
could not say good-by to me without fainting away!"

"Good-by meant more to me than to you. You were going away to new and
pleasant activity. I doubted whether I should see you again--or indeed
any one long," she added, hastily.

"Don't imagine that I did not feel awfully that night, dear Madge.
Tears do not come into my eyes easily, but I added a little salt
water to the ocean as I leaned over the taffrail and saw the city that
contained you fade from view."

"Did you truly, Graydon?" she asked, turning away.

"I did, indeed."

In her averted face and quickened respiration he thought he saw traces
of more than passing feeling, but she turned on him in sudden gayety,
and said: "Whenever I see the ocean I'll remember how its tides