Her voice was low yet distinct, but she had thrown into the two
syllables such infinite tenderness, that the consul was for an instant
struck with an embarrassment akin to that he had felt in the cabin of
the Skyscraper, and half expected the father to utter a shocked protest.
And to save what he thought would be an appalling silence, he said with
a quiet laugh:--

"That's the fellow who 'made the assembly shine' in the song, isn't it?"

"That was Robin Adair," said Gray quietly; "unfortunately I would only
be 'Robin Gray,' and that's quite another song."

"AULD Robin Gray, sir, deestinctly 'auld' in the song," interrupted Mr.
Callender with stern precision; "and I'm thinking he was not so very
unfortunate either."

The discussion of Scotch diminutives halting here, the boat sped on
silently to the yacht. But although Robert Gray, as host, recovered some
of his usual lightheartedness, the consul failed to discover anything
in his manner to indicate the lover, nor did Miss Ailsa after her single
lapse of tender accent exhibit the least consciousness. It was true that
their occasional frank allusions to previous conversations seemed to
show that their opportunities had not been restricted, but nothing more.
He began again to think he was mistaken.

As he wished to return early, and yet not hasten the Callenders, he
prevailed upon Gray to send him to the pier-head first, and not disturb
the party. As he stepped into the boat, something in the appearance
of the coxswain awoke an old association in his mind. The man at first
seemed to avoid his scrutiny, but when they were well away from the