r of mankind.

A long blue coat of silk brocade enveloped Kitty from her throat to her
sandals; sleeves which fell over her hands; buttoned by loops over
corded knots. An experienced traveler could have told him that it was
the peculiar garment which any self-respecting Chinaman would wear who
was in mourning for his grandfather. Kitty wore it because of its
beauty alone.

"Thank you," she said, as Thomas went out backward, court style. Kitty
smiled across at her maid who was arranging the combs and brushes
preparatory to taking down her mistress' hair. "He looked as if he
were afraid of something, Celeste."

Celeste smiled enigmatically. "Ma'm'selle shoult haff been born in
Pariss."

This was translatable, or not, as you pleased. Kitty sipped the
chocolate and found it excellent. At length she dismissed the maid,
switched off the lights, and then remembered that there was no water in
the carafe. She rang.

Thomas replied so promptly that he could not have been farther off than
the companionway. "You rang, miss?"

"Yes, Webb. Please fill this carafe."

"Is it possible that it was empty, miss?"

"I used it and forgot to ring for more."

All this in the dark.

Thomas hurried away, wishing he could find some magic spring on board.
For what purpose he could not have told.

As for Kitty, she remained standing by the door, profoundly astonished.

CHAPTER VII

Third day out.

Kitty smiled at the galloping horizon; smiled at the sunny sky; smiled
at the deck-steward as he served the refreshing broth; smiled at the
tips of her sensible shoes, at her hands, at her neighbors: until Mrs.
Crawford could contain her curiosity no longer.

"Kitty Killigrew, what have you been doing?"

"Doing?"

"Well, going to do?"--shrewdly.

Kitty gazed at her friend in pained surprise, her blue eyes as innocent
as the sea--and as full of hidden mysterious things. "Good gracious!
can't a person be happy and smile?"

"Happy I have no doubt you are; but I've studied that smile of yours
too closely not to be alarmed by it."

"Well, what does it say?"

"Mischief."

Kitty did not reply to this, but continued smiling--at space this time.

On the ship crossing to Naples in February their chairs on deck had
been together; they had become acquainted, and this acquaintance had
now ripened into one of those intimate friendships which are really
sounder and more lasting than those formed in youth. Crawford had
h