_is_ a surprise, old man. Always the lady's privilege, though, to
name the day, y'know. I shipped a stewardess to wait on the women--had
hoped they would all have been saved. She'll do for lady's maid. Also
brought along some women's togs, in case of emergencies. As for
yourself, between mine and Megg's and his own wardrobes, my man can
rig you up a presentable outfit. Clever chap, that Wilton."

"You've gone back to a valet again!" reproached Blake, momentarily
diverted. Then his fists clenched and his brows met in a frown of
self-disgust. "Lord! for me to forget for a second! Look here, Jimmy,
you're clean off. You don't savvy a little bit. Don't you see the
point? I can't let her commit herself now--here! You know I can't. It
wouldn't be fair to her, and you know it."

Lord James met his look with a clear and unfaltering gaze, and
answered steadily: "That all depends on one thing, Tom. If she really
loves you--"

"D'you think she's the kind to do it, if she didn't?" demanded Blake.
"No, that's not the point, at all. I've tried to be square, so far.
She saw what I'm like when I cut loose--there on the ship. I was two-
thirds drunk when the cyclone flung us ashore. No excuse--except that
all of them had turned me down from the first--there at Cape Town.
Yes, she knows just what I'm like when the craving is on me.
Yesterday, down there at the south headland, before the lion came
around, I gave her some idea of what I've done--all that."

"You've lived a cleaner life than most who're considered eligible!"
exclaimed Lord James. "I know that with respect to women, you're the
cleanest--"