The San Francisco call., 1910-01-30

and filled futely for several moments, the chuck
ling delight of Gatz-Brown The young Virginan
greeted amiably by his hostess and all four re-
turned to the house.
When the guests assembled in the drawing room
before dinner Carter had his first formal introduction
to Mrs Joyce Pulsain. He had known from common
report that the society leader was wonderfully well
preserved, but he was unprepared for the slender,
youthful beauty and grace of this woman of forty.
He marveled and admired she acknowledged the
meeting with gracious smile. There nothing
artificial in her appearance in her manner and he
conscious of the charm of personality which,
quite as much position and wealth. had contributed
to her Importance.
She turned casually to one of the other guests
after conventional remark to Carter, and in the
movement he glimpsed the gulf that separated him
from the queen of the elect. There had come such
moments before and they never embittered him. They
merely served to show him the difficulty of his task
With watchful eye, ready tongue and wit he sought
refuge with Mrs. Champney. He of possible
importance Mrs. Pulsain who need pay slight at
tention to chance acquaintance. But he meant that
she should regard him in quite different light before
they left the North Shore.
Plans for the Day
He learned next morning at breakfast that Mrs
Pusain and Mrs Dusoy, who bore all the character
istics of a companion and dependent to accom-
pany Tenny in his motorboat. Tenny, who it was
understood, favored suitor for the hand of
Dorothea Pulsain, had made haste to monopoze the
grand dame for the first days outing. The rest of
the party split into groups Carter accepted invi
tation to play tennis with newly married couple
and Mrs Gatz-Brown, preferring remain near the
house.
After luncheon he walked out on the terrace to
find the sky overcast, with promise of heavy blow
from the northeast Tenny and his motorboat had
not returned. The Virgnian studied the situation,
remembering Tennys lack of control his craft,
and without saying anything of his intention he
slipped up to his and dressed hurricdly in
yachting togs. When he came down again the We
randa was empty He descended to the boat landing.
The aged boatman in charge shook his head when
Carter asked to have small cockpit sloop brought
to the dock
"She's breezing up, sir. We get some nasty squalls
off here"
"Oh, that's all right" said Carter reassuringly.
al can handle boat all right, and at worst l can
only get ducking. That craft made for heavy
weather. You might take in couple of reefs"
The sailor obeyed with much shaking of the head,
and a few minutes later Carter embarked. He
headed well out on his first tack then laid his course
for Smthtown Bay.
There choppy running, but the little
sloop decked forward and for foot on either
side of the cockpit, slid through and the
with an ease and elasticity that showed her capable
of weathering a gale if need be. The Virginian had
made idle boast in announcing that he could han
die her and he braced himself confidently at the
tiller He kept sharp lookout for Tennys launch.
He had made more than three miles, close hauled
the starboard tack and running we'll off shore.
The wind was rising He would have felt more COM
Portable with third reef, though he was satisfied
that his craft was in no danger. Then, far ahead,
the intervening expanse of curling white caps,