by what you said you made me appear a little more ridiculous
than usual. Now, why do you do it?"

The Captain's jaw fell. He stared at his questioner to see if she was
not joking, but, finding no encouragement of that kind, stammered, "Why
do I do it? Why?"

"Yes, why?"

"Why, 'cause I thought you wanted me to."

"_I_ wanted you to! Why should you think that, please?"

"Well, I don't know. I thought you two would ruther be alone. I know,
when I used to go to see my wife 'fore we was married, I--"

"Please, what has that got to do with Mr. Hazeltine's visits here?"

"Why, why, nothin', I s'pose, if you say so. I jest thought--"

"What right have you to suppose that Mr. Hazeltine is calling on me more
than any other person or persons in this house?"

This was something of a poser, but the Captain did his best. He sat on
the edge of a chair and rubbed his knee, and then blurted out, "Well,
I s'pose I--that is, we thought he was, jest 'cause he nat'rally would;
that's 'bout all. If I'd thought--why, see here, Elsie, don't YOU think
he's comin' to see you?"

This was a return thrust that was hard to parry, but, although the
young lady's color heightened just a bit, she answered without much
hesitation:

"I don't know that I do. At any rate, I have given you no authority to
act on any such assumption, and I DON'T want you to put me again in the
ridiculous position you did this evening, and as you have done so often
before. Why, his visits might be perfect torture to me, and still I
should have to endure them out of common politeness. I couldn't go away
and leave him alone."

Captain Jerry's face was a study of chagrin and troubled repentance.

"Elsie," he said, "I'm awful sorry; I am so. If I'd thought I was
torturin' of you, 'stead of makin' it pleasant, I'd never have done it,
sure. I won't go out again; I won't, honest. I hope you won't lay it up
against me. I meant well."

Now, if Captain Perez had delayed his entrance to that dining room
only two or three minutes longer, if he had not come in just in time to
prevent Elsie's making the explanatory and soothing answer that was on
her tongue, events would probably have been entirely different, and a
good deal of trouble might have been saved. But in he came, as if some
perverse imp had been waiting to give him the signal, and the interview
between Captain Jerry and the young lady whom he had unwittingly
offended broke off then and there.

Elsie went upst