"address" Garda, after all, Mrs. Thorne having withheld her permission.
The young Cuban was far too punctilious an observer of etiquette to
advance further without that permission; he had therefore left society's
circle, and secluded himself at home, where, according to Manuel, he was
engaged in "consuming his soul."

"His cigars," Winthrop suggested.

Whereupon Manuel, who was not fond of the northerner, warmly took up
the cause of the absent Adolfo (though ordinarily he declared himself
tired to death of him), and with his superbest air remarked, "It is
possible that Mr. Wintup does not understand us."

"Quite possible," Winthrop answered.

Mrs. Thorne had consulted him about the request of Torres. Not formally,
not (at least it did not appear so) premeditatedly; she alluded to it
one afternoon when he had found her alone at East Angels. Winthrop was
very severe upon what he called the young Cuban's "presumption."

"Presumption--yes; that is what I have been inclined to consider it,"
said Mrs. Thorne, with her little preliminary cough. But she spoke
hesitatingly, or rather there seemed to be hesitation in her mind behind
her words, for her words themselves were carefully clear.

Winthrop looked at her, and saw, or fancied he saw, a throng of
conflicting possibilities, contingencies, and alternatives in the back
part of her small bright eyes. "Your daughter is too young to be made
the subject of any such request at present," he said, curtly. For it
seemed to him a moment when a little masculine brevity and masculine
decision were needed in this exclusively feminine atmosphere.

Mrs. Thorne accepted his suggestion. "Yes, Garda _is_ young," she
murmured, emerging a little from her hesitations. "Quite too young," she
repeated, more emphatically. Winthrop had given her a formula, and
formulas are sometimes as valuable as a life-raft.

Torres, therefore, being engaged in the consumption of his soul, and
Manuel having haughtily declined the northerner's invitation, the party
on the yacht consisted, besides Winthrop, of Mrs. Rutherford and
Margaret Harold, Mrs. Carew, Garda, Dr. Kirby, and the Rev. Mr. Moore,
Mrs. Thorne having been detained at home by the "pressing domestic
engagements" which Winthrop had been certain would lift their heads as
soon as the day for the _Emperadora's_ little voyage had been decided
upon. Wind and tide were both in their favor; they had a swift run down
the Espiritu, and landed on Patri