two women who had done so little traveling, that
they could not tear themselves from the deck until they were out of
sight of land.

"Mother, isn't it too lovely and aren't we going to be the happiest pair
on earth? I am glad we are seeing the ocean for the first time together,
because you know exactly how I feel and I know how you feel. The idea of
our being seasick! Richard Blount sent some remedy to the steamer for
us, just in case we were seasick. It was very kind of him but absolutely
unnecessary, I am sure. I never felt better in my life and look, there
is quite a little swell."

"Seasick indeed! I have no more feeling of sickness than I have on the
Ohio River at home," said Mrs. Brown, taking deep breaths of the bracing
salt air. "I suspect it is incumbent upon us to go read our letters now,
but I must say I do not want to miss one moment on deck during our
entire voyage. I feel as though twenty years had dropped off me." And
indeed she looked it, too, with a pretty pink in her cheeks and her wavy
hair blown about her face.

Molly rather wanted to read Professor Green's letter first, but she put
it aside and opened those from Nance Oldham and several other college
mates. Then she discovered a thoroughly characteristic note from Aunt
Clay, dry and dictatorial but enclosing a check for ten dollars on
Monroe & Co., the Paris bankers. "For you and your extravagant mother to
spend on foolishness," wrote that stern lady.

"Oh, Mother! Isn't she hateful? How easy it would have been to send a
pleasant message with the check! Now all the fun of having it is gone
and I have a great mind to send it back!"

"No, my dear, don't do that. Your Aunt Clay does not mean to be as
unkind as she seems. I know she intended this check as a kind of peace
offering to me, and we must take it as she meant it and pay no attention
to her words."

"Mother, you are an angel and I have to hug you right here in the cabin,
even if that black-eyed man over there with the pile of telegrams in
front of him is looking a hole through us."

She suited the action to the word and Mrs. Brown, emerging from the bear
hug that Molly was prone to give, surprised a smile on the dark face of
their fellow traveler. He was seated across from them at the same table
behind a pile of telegrams a foot high, and was very busy opening the
messages, making notes on them as he read. He was an interesting looking
man with dark, fathomless eyes, swarthy complexion