irectly
across it from Flora. The skipper advanced to the stool and sat down,
the thumping of his heart sounding in his ears like the strokes of a
sledgehammer on wood. For a moment the sight of his strong eyes was
veiled by a mist--by an inner mist smoking up from the heat and
commotion of his blood. When his sight cleared he saw the beautiful
young woman regarding him with a slight smile on her red lips and in her
wonderful eyes. There was inquiry in the smile--yes, and pity and
amusement were in it, too. The young man felt short of breath and at the
same time a choking sensation as of uncomfortable fulness of the lungs.
He stared across at her like one spellbound. The girl's glance wavered,
but her smile deepened. A brief note of laughter, like a chime of glass
bells, parted her lips.

"Dear me, you look very tragic," she said. "You look as if you saw a
ghost."

The skipper started violently and turned his face to the fire. He
laughed huskily, then got to his feet and looked down at her with the
firelight red as blood in his black eyes. Suddenly he groaned, stooped
and snatched up one of her white, bejewelled hands. He pressed it
passionately to his lips, crushing the delicate fingers with his. For a
second or two the singer was far too amazed and horrified to speak or
act; then, recovering suddenly, she wrenched her hand free and struck
him on the cheek. He flung his head back and stood straight. A short,
thin, red line showed beneath his right eye where a diamond in one of
her rings had scratched the skin.

"How dare you?" she cried, her voice trembling and her face colorless.
"Go away! You forget--who I am! You are a coward!"

The skipper did not flinch, his eyes did not waver. She was but a woman,
after all, for all her talk of queens and fame. He had kissed her
hand--and she had struck him. Well? He was rich. He would marry
her--and she would soon learn to love him. He looked down at her with a
smile on his lips and the light of mastery in his black eyes.

"Go away--you coward!" she cried. Then she hid her face in her hands and
began to sob. Tears glinted between her fingers, beside the diamonds. At
that moment Mother Nolan entered and clutched her grandson by the elbow.

"Get out wid ye, ye great hulkin' fool!" she exclaimed. "Oh, I seed ye
a-clawin' at her little hand. An' now ye've set her to weepin', ye great
lump! Bain't there a drop o' wits in yer head? Don't ye know yer place,
Denny Nolan, ye ignor