places as she
soon learned him to be, "the man who owned the largest and most
up-to-date ranch--Northern Rhodesia," people informed her . . . surely to
him she was a charming girl, as well, or before, she was Lady Diana
Vernilands. She wanted to believe it, and she did believe it. Not a
very difficult task to believe anything on sapphire seas decorated by
golden dawns and rose-red sunsets. Cynical truths have no room to
blossom in such surroundings. It was sheer joy to be alive, and she
threw herself into the merry routine of the days with all the zest of
youth. Her beautiful, athletic figure had been trained in many
gymnasiums, but never before had she known the delight of exercise in the
wild, fresh air of the open sea, where her muscles felt like rippling
music, and her blood seemed full of red roses. Her eyes had changed from
their smoky sadness to the dewy radiance of hyacinths plucked at dawn,
and her skin wore the satiny sheen, rose-tinted, of perfect well-being.
She wished the voyage would last for ever.

Nothing succeeds like success. Because she was brilliant and happy, and
apparently had everything she wanted, Luck smiled, and all good things
came her way. She was acclaimed a champion at deck games, and
unremittingly sought as a partner. In the evenings she never lacked
companions to help her dance the soles off her shoes. She played auction
like a fiend and always held the cards; won all the prizes in the sports
for running, jumping, threading the needle, and holding eggs in spoons;
bowled everyone at cricket. It seemed she could do nothing wrong or
badly. Finally, at the fancy dress ball, when everyone turned out in
wonderful garments planned and prepared long months before, she easily
captured the votes of the crowd as the wearer of the most original and
charming costume created on the spur of the moment.

There had been only one fancy dress in Diana's wardrobe, that of a
Persian lady; and for once she showed herself greedy in the matter of
clothes, and calmly commandeered it without consulting April. Yet the
latter's fanciful imitation of a well-known poster, composed of
inexpensive calicoes (bought from that emporium of all wants and
wonders--the barber's shop), had triumphed over the gorgeous veils and
jewels and silken trousers of the Persian houri and swept the unanimous
vote of the ship into April's lap. Enough in all this to turn any girl's
head, and though natural dignity and a certa