"Well, then, I think I was not such a failure after all yesterday
morning, for you certainly looked very neat and pretty."

"Then, if I did, Mr. Morris, do not flatter yourself it was at all on
account of your disposal of the rugs, for the moment you had left a very
handsome young lady came along, and, looking at me, said, with such a
pleasant smile, 'Why, what a pretty rug you have there; but how the
steward _has_ bungled it about you! Let me fix it,' and with that she
gave it a touch here and a smooth down there, and the result was really
so nice that I hated to go down to breakfast. It is a pity you went
away so quickly yesterday morning. You might have had an opportunity of
becoming acquainted with the lady, who is, I think, the prettiest girl
on board this ship."

"Do you?" said Mr. Morris, shortly.

"Yes, I do. Have you noticed her? She sits over there at the long table
near the centre. You must have seen her; she is so very, very pretty,
that you cannot help noticing her."

"I am not looking after pretty women this voyage," said Morris, savagely.

"Oh, are you not? Well, I must thank you for that. That is evidently a
very sincere compliment. No, I can't call it a compliment, but a sincere
remark, I think the first sincere one you have made to-day."

"Why, what do you mean?" said Morris, looking at her in a bewildered
sort of way.