Her training impelled
her to stigmatize his conduct as ungentlemanly, ungenerous, and
absolutely shocking. The words of condemnation came readily enough, but
there was no proper spirit of maidenly pride behind them. On the
contrary, deep down in her breast there glowed a sense of triumph, an
abiding joy, of which she made some effort to be ashamed. Her avoidance
of the young man on the day following his misdemeanour was a pathetic bit
of dissimulation, an effort on Lucy's part to deceive herself with a show
of coldness and dignity.

During the Tuesday afternoon and evening Mrs. Donald Macdougal had
assumed towards Lucy the touching airs of an injured innocent. Her cough
required more than usual attention, and her head was extremely bad, but
she bore it all with conspicuous resignation. She could not contain
herself long, however, and gave utterance to her grievance in the
evening.

'I do think you ought to give me a little more of your confidence, Lucy,'
she said, with an aggrieved air.

'In what way, Mrs. Macdougal?' asked Lucy, surprised at the words and the
tone.

'Well, my dear, I have treated you almost like a sister. I am in a manner
your guardian; and it's nice to feel one is trusted, is it not?'

'But I do trust you; and I am grateful too--most grateful.'

'It isn't that. You don't tell me things. For instance, about young
Done.'

'Really, Mrs. Macdougal, there is nothing of interest that you do not
know.

'Oh, nonsense, Lucy! Why are you blushing, then? You have been a great
deal together since the accident, and I permitted it because he is so
brave and handsome, and he is quite a gentleman, in spite of his
position. But '--and here the voice grew petulant--'I thought you would
give me your confidence. You ought to have had more consideration for me,
seeing how dull I was, and how stupid it is here, with nothing to do and
nothing to talk about.'

'My meetings with Mr. Done have been merely friendly. It would not amuse
you in the least to hear our conversation repeated.' Lucy felt that her
face was scarlet. She was angry and combative.

'Come, now, is that fair?' continued Mrs. Macdougal, patiently sad.

'You know you are the heroine of the ship's romance. We're just aching
with curiosity about it.'

'Mrs. Macdougal, you amaze me!'

'We have scarcely talked of anything else for weeks, and I did think
you'd put your trust in me.'

The girl was standing with squared shoulders and erect head, a