who owned a steam yacht, were arranging a trip to the Mediterranean,
including a run over to Cairo. They had asked her and Mrs. Blake to
go and she was sure they would ask Jefferson, too. Would he go?

There was no way out of it. Jefferson tried to work up some
enthusiasm for this yachting trip, which he knew very well could
never come off, and it cut him to the heart to see this poor girl
joyously making all these preparations and plans, little dreaming
of the domestic calamity which at that very moment was hanging
over her head.

[Photo, from the play, of the Ryder household as Jefferson
is introduced to Miss Green.]

"Father, I've changed my mind, I'm not going away."--Act II.

It was nearly ten o'clock when they had finished. They sat a
little longer listening to the gipsy music, weird and barbaric.
Very pointedly, Shirley remarked:

"I for one preferred the music this afternoon."

"Why?" inquired Jefferson, ignoring the petulant note in her
voice.

"Because you were more amiable!" she retorted rather crossly.

This was their first misunderstanding, but Jefferson said nothing.
He could not tell her the thoughts and fears that had been
haunting him all night. Soon afterward they re-entered their cab