d the Excelsior is an ideal
field for observing them."

"I see!" Then ingenuously, "Are you really going to put Jack in your
book?"

Porter smiled, amused. "He hardly corresponds to my aimless nomad
wandering hither and yon, with neither ambition nor destination! By the
way," he added abruptly, "what do you _think_ of Jack? I am not asking
this, mind you, just to make conversation, but because I am interested
in him as a national type. I confess I was beginning to think that no
woman could care for the men at home as any woman might for the
Europeans, until he came along the other day." There was no doubting
Porter's enthusiasm as he added, "He gave me back my ideals of my own
country! He is _real_, I tell you. But this trip he is going to take
into Sicily----"

"There is no danger in this day, surely!" she interrupted.

"I am not so sure of it, they are pesky devils!" Then, appreciating her
uneasiness, he tried to reassure her. "Jack will be all right, he will
be well protected. In fact, to show you how little I really fear from
the adventure, I am thinking of going with him. My work is getting
stale, and a week or two of change of scene would set me up."

"I don't see that your going proves there is no danger. I should never
imagine you the type of a coward."

Porter laughed. "Thank you for your good opinion of my type. But I am
not at all certain about it myself. If I thought I was going to run any
risk of being stabbed in the ribs, or riddled with bullets, I assure you
I would preserve my skin very carefully by staying right here. But to go
back to John: Did you ever study physiognomy?" He glanced across at
Derby as he spoke.

Nina's lips broke into a smile, as she answered, "No. Did you?"

"Yes. I studied that, and palmistry, and graphology, too. Look at
John--he has a remarkably interesting head and hand. You are quite
wrong," he answered an interjection of Nina's, "his hands are far from
ugly! Spatulate fingers show invention and energy. Just look at his
thumb! Did you ever see such cool-headed logic or a better balanced
will? Why, all in all, I consider him the best-looking man I know! There
are plenty with better features, no doubt, but if I'd had my choice as
to looks, I should have been his twin."

Nina laughed joyously. "Do you mean it?" It sounded incredible to her,
yet she felt strangely pleased--she looked at John from a new point of
view. "I think he has a great many good points; there is some