lle. Mon
mari me suit. Ah, le voila!_" She turned about, the better to beckon to
a huge man with two bags and a hold-all. "_Pierre! Pierre_!"

Beneath the avalanche of good-will Berry stood paralysed.

Recognizing that something must be done, I sought to interfere.

"Leave me alone," said Berry weakly. "I've--I've got off."

It took all my energy and most of my French to convince his _vis-a-vis_
that she was mistaken.

During the interlude about fifteen "possibles" escaped us.

I threw a despairing glance in Jill's direction, wiped the sweat from my
brow, and returned to the attack.

After four more failures my nerve began to go. Miserably I turned to my
brother-in-law.

He was in the act of addressing a smart-looking girl in black, bearing a
brand-new valise and some wilting roses.

Before she had had time to appreciate his inquiry there was a choking
yell from the gangway, and a very dark gentleman, with an Italian cast
of countenance, thrust his explosive way on to the pier.

My knowledge of his native tongue was limited to _carissimo, spaghetti_,
and one or two musical directions, but from the vehemence of his tone
and the violence of his dramatic gestures it was plain that the torrent
which foamed from his lips was both menacing and abusive. From the shape
of the case which he was clutching beneath his left arm, I judged him to
be an exponent of the guitar.

Advancing his nose to within an inch and a half of Berry's chin he
blared and raved like a maniac, alternately pointing to his shrinking
_protegee_ and indicating the blue vault of heaven with frightful
emphasis.

Berry regarded him unperturbed. As he paused for breath--

"In answer to your observations," he said, "I can only say that I am not
a Mormon and have absolutely no connection with Salt Lake City. I may
add that, if you are partial to garlic, it is a taste which I have never
acquired. In conclusion, I hope that, before you reach the platform for
which you are apparently making, you will stumble over one of the
ridiculously large rings with which the quay is so generously provided,
and will not only suffer the most hideous agony, but remain permanently
lame as a result of your carelessness."

The calm dignity with which he delivered this speech had an almost
magical effect upon the jealous Latin. His bluster sank suddenly and
died. Muttering to himself and staring at Berry as at a wizard, he
seized the girl by the arm and started to mov