Williams news., 1917-10-25

ing himself), and kept her in a state of amusement that precluded discour- agement of his eccentric wooing.
 q want you to know me as I really am," he informed her on one occa- sion. "If should seem as sober-sided and solemn as your next adorer, you'd marry me in ignorance of my true character"
 "But haven't the slightest intention of marrying you, MT. Trait"
 'That's fine line," he commented admiringly. "What you heroines of modern fiction would do without it heaven only knows! It's certain our novelists don't, or they'd invent some thing less stereotyped. But you mustn't forget it really means nothing in the first chapters. Along about it's signal either for the clench or for the bouncer."
 "I do wish you'd talk sensibly in lan- guage I can understand"
 "As for the language, if it cramps your style, Miss Craven, believe me, I'll slip the rollers under it and give it the gatel But as for talking sen sibly-not I, not while sparring for wind and trying to figure how stand with you. It wouldn't be fair to snare your affections with the impression that the architect of my dome used any building material more substan- tial than funny-bones."
 "Do you mean me to understand you're incurably frivolous?"
 "RatherI"
 Isn't it a pretty poor recommenda- tion for q suitor to advance"
 "Do you think so?" He appeared to ponder this gravely. "But I can't see that. Think how deadly life would be with a man who took everything seriously-himself, for instance, and the candidate for president on the Pro hibition ticket, and Lloyd George, and -ah-the Anti-Woman Suffrage move ment. There's only one thing I'm ready to promise to take seriously. Now pretend you don't get mel"
 You are quite, quite hopeless!"
 "Wrong again: was never more hopeful. First thing you know you'll be lying awake nights wondering if can possibly be as silly as I sound, and thinking what a pity 'tis if true and when you come to that stage, it'll be all over but the rice and old shoes and Niagara Fallsr'
 Certainly you must be an incurable optimist!"
 "You think so? say, that's an aw- fully good sign! You're thinking about me already"
 But of the four it was Quoin who most impressed Lydia's impressionable imagination. His seemed an individu- ality rarely simple and straightfor- ward, to which latency and indirection must be altogether foreign. He was, Lydia understood, a criminal investi- gator of unusual attainments; yet he utterly lacked every idiosyncrasy of the great" detective of fiction. He was long, lank man, with thin face of strong features. His wide, thin lips dropped quizzically at their corners. And his eyes were dark and, normally, deep with humorous expression. To Lydia'S notion he was the Yankee type incarnate, but without that uncoutb- ness she had been bred to expect.
 
 Because the Alsatia, groping her blind way at half-speed through wrap pings of fog ever more opaque, per sisted in making night hideous with her unearthly whoop of warning, the concert all but fell flat. Only Ora ven's inexhaustible enthusiasm saved the function.
 When it was over Lydia, announc- ing her intention of going to bed, de layed only to say goodnight to Peter Trait on the upper companionway landing, near the doorway to the port side of the boat deck. One-half of this double door was open. Beyond it was nothingness-a flat wall of gray but feebly tinted with artificial light.
 Then, descending to the promenade deck, she turned aft to her stateroom, | and was about to enter when she heard her name called in Craven'S voice, and-since she had left him only few minutes before the center of an animated group in the music room with pardonable surprise she discov- cred the man coming swiftly toward her from the after part of the ship.
 "Just to say goodnight" he ex- plained hastily, folding his daughter in the tenderest of embraces; and then in rapid whisper, Meet me on deck this deck-to port-fifth stanchion aft from the door-in an hour. If | anyone seems to be watching you, go back!" And again aloud, Goodnight, dear child, good-night!" he murmured fondly, releasing her, and hurried for | ward.
 Almost without her knowledge the knob turned in Lydia's grasp; and when she found herself alone in that | dark stateroom her hands trembled so with excitement that for moment she fumbled in vain for the switch