"Why he came at the last just to please me," said Mrs. Nettlepoint.

I was silent a little. "Are you sure it was for your sake?"

"Ah, perhaps it was for yours!"

I bore up, however, against this thrust, characteristic of perfidious
woman when you presume to side with her against a fond tormentor. "When
he went out on the balcony with that girl," I found assurance to suggest,
"perhaps she asked him to come for _hers_."

"Perhaps she did. But why should he do everything she asks him--such as
she is?"

"I don't know yet, but perhaps I shall know later. Not that he'll tell
me--for he'll never tell me anything: he's not," I consistently opined,
"one of those who tell."

"If she didn't ask him, what you say is a great wrong to her," said Mrs.
Nettlepoint.

"Yes, if she didn't. But you say that to protect Jasper--not to protect
her," I smiled.

"You _are_ cold-blooded--it's uncanny!" my friend exclaimed.

"Ah this is nothing yet! Wait a while--you'll see. At sea in general
I'm awful--I exceed the limits. If I've outraged her in thought I'll
jump overboard. There are ways of asking--a man doesn't need to tell a