es. More's the pity."

"I heartily agree with you, it is a great pity. An irreparable loss....
But he has gone."

"Yes."

Just here the dialogue came to a peculiar halt. Mr. Phillips seemed to
be waiting for his companion to say something and the captain to be
waiting for Phillips himself to say it first. As a consequence neither
said it. When the conversation was resumed it was once more of a general
nature. It was not until just beyond the end of the call that the Fair
Harbor was again mentioned. And, as at first, it was the caller who led
up to it.

"Captain Kendrick," he observed, "you are, like myself, a man of the
world, a man of wide experience."

This was given forth as a positive statement, not a question, yet he
seemed to expect a reply. Sears obliged.

"Oh, I don't know," he demurred.

"Pardon me, but I do. I am accustomed to judge persons and characters,
and I think I may justly pride myself on making few mistakes. From what
I had heard I expected to find you a man of the world, a man of
experience and judgment. Judge Knowles' selection of you as
the--ah--temporary head of the Fair Harbor would have indicated that, of
course, but, if you will permit me to say so, this interview has
confirmed it."

Again he paused, as if expecting a reply. And again the captain humored
him.

"Much obliged," he said.

The Phillips hand waved the thanks away. There was another perceptible
wait. Then said Egbert, "Captain Kendrick, as one man of the world to
another, what do you think of the--ah--institution next door?"

Sears looked at him. "What do I think of it?" he repeated.

"Yes, exactly. It was, as you know, the darling of my dear wife's heart.
When she loaned her--shall we say her ancestral home, and--ah--money to
the purpose she firmly believed the Fair Harbor for Mariners' Women to
be an inspiration for good. She believed its founding to be the
beginning of a great work. Is it doing that work, do you think? In your
opinion, sir, is it a success?"

Captain Sears slowly stroked his close-cropped beard. What was the man
driving at?

"Why--I don't know as I know exactly what you mean by success," he
hesitated. "It's takin' care of its--er--boarders and it's makin' a home
for 'em. That is what your wife wanted it to do, didn't she?"

"Oh, yes, yes, quite so. But that is not precisely what I mean. Put it
this way, sir: In your opinion, as a man of affairs----"

"Here, here, just a minute. I'm not a man