lled at his beard embarrassedly.

"I rather believe I understand you. The veneer cracks easily in hot
climates; man's veneer."

"And falls off altogether."

"Are you warning me against yourself?"

"Why not? Twenty thousand pounds do not change a man; they merely
change the public's opinion of him. For all you know, I may be the
greatest rascal unhanged."

"But you are not."

He recognized that it was not a query; and a pleasurable thrill ran
over him. Had there been the least touch of condescension in her
manner, he would have gone deep into his shell.

"No; there are worse men in this world than I. But we are getting away
from the point, of women traveling alone in the East. Oh, I know you
can protect yourself to a certain extent. But everywhere, on boats, in
the hotels, on the streets, are men who have discarded all the laws of
convention, of the social contract. And they have the keen eye of the
kite and the vulture."

To Elsa this interest in her welfare was very diverting. "In other
words, they can quickly discover the young woman who goes about
unprotected? Don't you think that the trend of the conversation has
taken rather a remarkable turn, not as impersonal as it should be?"

"I beg your pardon!"

"I am neither an infant nor a fool, Mr. Warrington."

"Shall I go?"

"No. I want you to tell me some stories." She laughed. "Don't worry
about me, Mr. Warrington. I have gone my way alone since I was
sixteen. I have traveled all over this wicked world with nobody but
the woman who was once my nurse. I seldom put myself in the way of an
affront. I am curious without being of an investigating turn of mind.
Now, tell me something of your adventures. Ten years in this land must
mean something. I am always hunting for Harun-al-Raschid, or Sindbad,
or some one who has done something out of the ordinary."

"Do you write books?"

"No, I read them by preference."

"Ah, a good book!" He inclined against the rail and stared down at the
muddy water. "Adventure?" He frowned a little. "I'm afraid mine
wouldn't read like adventures. There's no glory in being a stevedore
on the docks at Hongkong, a stoker on a tramp steamer between Singapore
and the Andaman Islands. What haven't I been in these ten years?" with
a shrug. "Can you fancy me a deck-steward on a P. & O. boat, tucking
old ladies in their chairs, staggering about with a tray of
broth-bowls, helping the unsteady to their stateroo