three miles, and the ocean was
rather rough, and when they slowed up he asked them if it was raining
in London when they left. They thought he was mad."

"Is that true, Carlton?" asked the Englishman.

"Something like it," said the American, "except that I didn't ask them
if it was raining in London. I asked them for a drink, and it was they
who were mad. They thought I was drowning, and slowed up to lower a
boat, and when they found out I was just swimming around they were
naturally angry.

"Well, I'm glad you didn't bet with me," said the captain, with a
relieved laugh.

That evening, as the Englishman was leaving the smoking-room, and after
he had bidden Carlton good-night, he turned back and said: "I didn't
like to ask you before those men this morning, but there was something
about your swimming adventure I wanted to know: Did you get that drink?"

"I did," said Carlton--"in a bottle. They nearly broke my shoulder."

As Carlton came into the breakfast-room on the morning of the day he
was to meet the Princess Aline at dinner, Miss Morris was there alone,
and he sat down at the same table, opposite to her. She looked at him
critically, and smiled with evident amusement.

"'To-day,'" she quoted, solemnly, "'the birthday of my life has come.'"

Carlton poured out his coffee, with a shake of his head, and frowned.
"Oh, you can laugh," he said, "but I didn't sleep at all last night. I
lay awake making speeches to her. I know they are going to put me
between the wrong sisters," he complained, "or next to one of those old
ladies-in-waiting, or whatever they are."

"How are you going to begin?" said Miss Morris. "Will you tell her you
have followed her from London--or from New York, rather--that you are
young Lochinvar, who came out of the West, and--"

"I don't know," said Carlton, meditatively, "just how I shall begin;
but I know the curtain is going to rise promptly at eight
o'clock--about the time the soup comes on, I think. I don't see how
she can help but be impressed a little bit. It isn't every day a man
hurries around the globe on account of a girl's photograph; and she IS
beautiful, isn't she?"

Miss Morris nodded her head encouragingly.

"Do you know, sometimes," said Carlton, glancing over his shoulders to
see if the waiters were out of hearing, "I fancy she has noticed me.
Once or twice I have turned my head in her direction without meaning
to, and found her looking--well, looking my