the story appeared truthful
enough. He said that you sought the introduction because of his
amazing likeness to the man you are going home to marry."

"That is true," replied Elsa. "Uncle Jim, I have traveled pretty much
over this world, and I never met a gentleman if Warrington is not one."
There was unconscious belligerency in her tone.

"Ah, there's the difficulty which women will never be made to
understand. Every man can, at one time or another, put himself upon
his good behavior. Underneath he may be a fine rascal."

"Not this one," smiling. "He warned me against himself a dozen times,
but that served to make me stubborn. The fault of my conduct," acidly,
"was not in making this pariah's acquaintance. It lies in the fact
that I had nothing to do with the other passengers, from choice. That
is where I was indiscreet. But why should I put myself out to gain the
good wishes of people for whom I have no liking; people I shall
probably never see again when I leave this port?"

"You forget that some of them will be your fellow passengers all the
way to San Francisco. My child, you know as well as I do that there
are some laws which the Archangel Michael would have to obey, did he
wish to inhabit this earth for a while."

"Poor Michael! And if you do not obey these laws, people talk."

"Exactly. There are two sets of man-made laws. One governs the
conduct of men and the other the conduct of women."

"And a man may break any one of these laws, twist it, rearrange it to
suit his immediate needs. On the other hand, the woman is always
manacled."

"Precisely."

"I consider it horribly unfair."

"So it is. But if you wish to live in peace, you must submit."

"Peace at that price I have no wish for. This man Mallow lives within
the pale of law; the other man is outside of it. Yet, of the two,
which would you be quickest to trust?"

The consul-general laughed. "Now you are appealing not to my knowledge
of the world but to my instinct."

"Thanks."

"Is there any reason why you should defend Mr. Warrington, as he calls
himself?"

The consul-general's wife desperately tried to catch her husband's eye.
But either he did not see the glance or he purposely ignored it.

"In defending Mr. Warrington I am defending myself."

"A good point."

"My dear friend," Elsa went on, letting warmth come into her voice once
more, "my sympathy went out to that man. He looked so lonely. Did you
notice his e