ne felt a hand upon his shoulder, and a
voice greeted him with, "My dear Browne, this is indeed a pleasurable
surprise. I never expected to see you here."

_It was Maas._

CHAPTER XV

Why he should have been so surprised at meeting Maas on board the
steamer that evening Browne has never been able to understand. The
fact, however, remains that he was surprised, and unpleasantly so. The
truth of the matter was, he wanted to be alone, to think of Katherine
and of the work he had pledged himself to accomplish. Even when one is
head over ears in love, however, the common usages of society may claim
some moderate share of attention; and, all things considered, civility
to one's friends is perhaps the first of these. For this reason Browne
paced the deck with Maas, watching the lights of Calais growing smaller
each time they turned their faces towards the stern of the vessel.
Every turn of the paddle-wheels seemed to be taking Katherine farther
and farther from him; and yet, was he not travelling to England on her
errand, was he not wearing a ring she had given him upon his finger,
and was not the memory of her face continually with him? Maas noticed
that he was unusually quiet and preoccupied, and attempted to rally him
upon the subject. He was the possessor of a peculiarly ingratiating
manner; and, much to his own surprise, Browne found himself, before
they had been very long on board, telling him the news, that was
destined sorely to trouble the hearts of mothers with marriageable
daughters before the next few weeks were out. "I am sure I
congratulate you most heartily, my dear fellow," said Maas, with a fine
show of enthusiasm. "I have had my suspicions that something of the
kind was in the air for some considerable time past; but I did not know
that it was quite so near at hand. I trust we shall soon be permitted
the honour of making the young lady's acquaintance."

"I am afraid that will not be for some considerable time to come,"
Browne replied.

"How so?" asked Maas. "What are you going to do?"

"As I told you the other day, I am thinking of leaving England on a
rather extended yachting cruise to the Farther East."

"Ah, I remember you did say something about it," Maas continued. "Your
_fiancee_ will accompany you, of course?"

Browne scarcely knew what reply to offer to this speech. He had no
desire to allow Maas to suspect his secret, and at the same time his
conscience would not permit h