"I beg your pardon, madam," he began; "but would you have any objection
to my smoking? I am ashamed to confess that I am a slave to the
pernicious habit."

There was a moment or two of silence, broken only by the regular dip of
the paddle, then Miss Sommerton said, "If you wish to desecrate this
lovely spot by smoking, I presume anything I can say will not prevent
you."

Trenton was amazed at the rudeness of this reply, and his face flushed
with anger. Finally he said, "You must have a very poor opinion of me!"

Miss Sommerton answered tartly, "I have no opinion whatever of you."
Then, with womanly inconsistency, she proceeded to deliver her opinion,
saying, "A man who would smoke here would smoke in a cathedral."

"I think you are wrong there," said Mr. Trenton, calmly. "I would smoke
here, but I would not think of smoking in a cathedral. Neither would I
smoke in the humblest log-cabin chapel."

"Sir," said Miss Sommerton, turning partly round, "I came to the St.
Maurice for the purpose of viewing its scenery. I hoped to see it alone.
I have been disappointed in that, but I must insist on seeing it in
silence. I do not wish to carry on a conversation, nor do I wish to
enter into a discussion on any subject whatever. I am sorry to have to
say this, but it seems to be necessary."

Her remarks so astonished Trenton that he found it impossible to get
angrier than he had been when she first spoke. In fact, he found his