why I'm still here, and not two days out, as I had expected. He
locked himself in his cabin and shot at people through the door,
and told awful lies to the newspapers."

"If it's anything about my qualifications," he said, thinking he
had found the reason of her backwardness, "I don't fancy I'll have
any trouble to satisfy you. I don't want to toot my own horn,
Florence, but really, you know, I am rated a first-class man. I'll
prove that by my certificates and all that, or give me two weeks'
trial, and see for yourself."

"Oh, it isn't that," she said.

"Then, what is it?" he broke out. "Only the other day they offered
me a Western Ocean liner, and, if you like, I'll send you the
letter. If I am good enough for a big passenger ship, I guess I
can run the Minnehaha to please you!"

"Frank," she returned, "it is not a question of your competency at
all. You know very well I'd trust my life to you, blindfold. It's
--it's the social side, the old affair between us, the first names
and all that kind of thing."

"Oh, I see!" he said blankly.

"As an officer on my ship," she said, "you could easily put
yourself and me in a difficult position. In a way, we'll really be
further apart than if you were in South America and I in Monte
Carlo, for, though we'd always be good friends, and all that, the
formalities would have to be observed. Now, I have offended you?"