rl's. The elbow
length of the sleeve exposed a forearm beautifully molded, with the
velvety firmness of a child's; and the wistaria shade of her empire gown
intensified the blue tones in the dark masses of her hair. In short, she
stood for all that is refined, bright, charming in womanhood; and not for
any single type, but a blending of the best in several; the "typical
American beauty" that Miles Feversham had named her.

Her glance moved slowly among the shipping. The great steamship leaving
the Great Northern docks was the splendid liner _Minnesota_, sailing for
Japan; the outbound freighter, laden to the gunwales and carrying a
deckload of lumber, was destined for Prince William Sound. She represented
Morganstein interests. And when her eyes moved farther, in the direction
of the Yacht Club, there again was the _Aquila_, the largest speck in the
moored fleet. A shadow crossed her face. She rose and, turning from the
windows, stood taking an inventory that began with the piano, a Steinway
mellowed by age, and ended at a quaint desk placed against the opposite
wall. It was very old; it had been brought in her great-grandfather's time
from Spain, and the carving, Moorish in design, had often roused the
enthusiastic comment of her friends. Appraising it, her brows ruffled a
little; the short upper lip met the lower in a line of resolve. She went
to her telephone and found in the directory the number of a dealer in
curios. But as she reached for the receiver, she was interrupted by a
knock and, closing the book hastily, put it down to open the door.

A bell-boy stood holding a rare scarlet azalea in full flower. In its
jardiniere of Satsuma ware it was all his arms could compass, and a second
boy followed with the costly Japanese stand that accompanied it. There was
no need to read the name on the card tied conspicuously among the stiff
leaves. The gift was from Frederic Morganstein. It had arrived, doubtless,
on an Oriental steamer that had docked the previous evening while the
_Aquila_ made her landing. Mrs. Weatherbee had the plant placed where the
sunshine reached it through the window of the alcove, and it made a gay
showing against the subdued gray of the walls. Involuntarily her glance
moved from it to the harbor, seeking the _Minnesota_, now under full
headway off Magnolia Bluff. It was as though, in that moment, her
imagination out-traveled the powerful liner, and she saw before her that
alluring country set on