The Press., 1895-08-08

eminently respectable consignees at St. Kentigern, and contented himself with lingering near them. The young girl was accompanied by her father, re- specially rigid looking, middle class tradesman, who, however, seemed to be more interested in the novelty of his surroundings than in the movements of his daughter and their departing friend. So it chanced that the consul re-entered the enthusiastically in search of 8 missing glove, but really with the in- tention of seeing how the passenger was bestowed-just behind them. But to his great embarrassment he at once per ceived that, owing to the obscurity of the apartment, they had not noticed him, and, before he could withdraw, the man had passed his arm around the young girls half stiffened yet half yielding figure.
 "Only one, Ailsa," he pleaded in a slow, serious voice, pathetic from the very absence of any youthful passion in it; "just one, now. It'll be gey lang before we meet again. Yell not refuse me now"
 The young girls lips seemed to mur- mur some protest, that, however, was lost in the beginning of long and si- lent kiss.
 The consul slipped out softly. His smile had died away. That unlocked for touch of human weakness seemed to purify the stuffy and evil reeking cabin, and the recollection of it's brutal past to drop with a deckload of iniquity be- hind him to the bottom of the Clyde. It is to be feared that in his unofficial moments he was inclined to be senti- mental, and it seemed to him that the good ship Skyscraper henceforward car ried an innocent freight not mentioned in her manifest, and that a gentle, ever smiling figure, not entered on her books, had invisibly taken place at her wheel.
 But he was recalled to himself by a slight altercation on deck. The young girl and the passenger had just returned from the cabin. The consul, after dis creetly careless pause, had lifted his eyes to the young girls face, and saw that it was singularly pretty in color and outline, but perfectly self com posed and serenely unconscious. And he was little troubled to observe that the passenger was middle aged man, whose hard features were already considerably worn with trial and experience.
 Both he and the girl were. listening with sympathizing but cautious interest to her father contention with the boat man who had brought them from shore, and who was now inclined to demand an extra fee for returning with them. The boatman alleged that he had been detained beyond 'kirk time," and that this imperiling of his salvation could only be compensated by another shil- ling. To the consul's surprise this ex- traordinary argument was recognized by the father, who, however, contented himself by simply contending that it had not been stipulated in the bargaI l. The issue was, therefore, limited, and the discussion progressed slowly and deliberately, with 8 certain calm dig nity and argumentative satisfaction on both sides that ennobled the subject, though it irritated the captain.
 "If ye accept the premises that I've just laid down, that it's contract t''- began the bOatman.
 ''Dry up and haul off, |" said the cap tain.
 "One moment," interposed the con- sul, with a rapid glance at the slight trouble in tho young girls face. Turn ing to the father, he went on, "Will you allow me to offer you and your daughter seat ill my boat?"
 It was an unlocked for and tempting proposal. The boatman was lazily lying on his oars, secure ill self righteousness and the conscious possession of the only available boat to shore; on the other hand, the smart gig of the consul, with its four oars, was not only providen- tial escape from difficulty, but even to some extent quasiofficial indorse- ment of his contention. Yet he hesi- tated.
 "It'll be costin ye no more," he said tnterrogativcly, glancing at the consul's boat crew, Cor yell be askin me fair proportion?"
 ''It will be the gentleman's own boat," said the girl, with a certain shy assurance, "and he'll be paying his boatmen by the day"
 The consul hastened to explain that their passage would involve no addi- tional expense to anybody and added tactfully that he was glad to enable them to oppose extortion.
 Aye, but it's preencipel," said the father proudly, "and I'm pleased, sir, to see ye recognize it. "
 He proceeded to help his daughter in to the boat without any further leave taking of the passenger, to the consul's