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is it you want me to do？〃
〃I put it to your mother that you ought to go to bed。〃
〃You had better do that yourself！〃 he replied。
This time he walked off； and I reflected rather dolefully that the
only clear result of my undertaking would probably have been to make
it vivid to him that she was in love with him。 Mrs。 Nettlepoint came
up as she had announced； but the day was half over： it was nearly
three o'clock。 She was accompanied by her son； who established her
on deck； arranged her chair and her shawls； saw she was protected
from sun and wind； and for an hour was very properly attentive。
While this went on Grace Mavis was not visible； nor did she reappear
during the whole afternoon。 I hadn't observed that she had as yet
been absent from the deck for so long a period。 Jasper left his
mother； but came back at intervals to see how she got on； and when
she asked where Miss Mavis might be answered that he hadn't the least
idea。 I sat with my friend at her particular request： she told me
she knew that if I didn't Mrs。 Peck and Mrs。 Gotch would make their
approach； so that I must act as a watch…dog。 She was flurried and
fatigued with her migration； and I think that Grace Mavis's choosing
this occasion for retirement suggested to her a little that she had
been made a fool of。 She remarked that the girl's not being there
showed her for the barbarian she only could be； and that she herself
was really very good so to have put herself out； her charge was a
mere bore： that was the end of it。 I could see that my companion's
advent quickened the speculative activity of the other ladies they
watched her from the opposite side of the deck； keeping their eyes
fixed on her very much as the man at the wheel kept his on the course
of the ship。 Mrs。 Peck plainly had designs； and it was from this
danger that Mrs。 Nettlepoint averted her face。
〃It's just as we said；〃 she remarked to me as we sat there。 〃It's
like the buckets in the well。 When I come up everything else goes
down。〃
〃No； not at all everything elsesince Jasper remains here。〃
〃Remains？ I don't see him。〃
〃He comes and goesit's the same thing。〃
〃He goes more than he comes。 But n'en parlons plus； I haven't gained
anything。 I don't admire the sea at allwhat is it but a magnified
water…tank？ I shan't come up again。〃
〃I've an idea she'll stay in her cabin now；〃 I said。 〃She tells me
she has one to herself。〃 Mrs。 Nettlepoint replied that she might do
as she liked； and I repeated to her the little conversation I had had
with Jasper。
She listened with interest； but 〃Marry her？ Mercy！〃 she exclaimed。
〃I like the fine freedom with which you give my son away。〃
〃You wouldn't accept that？〃
〃Why in the world should I？〃
〃Then I don't understand your position。〃
〃Good heavens； I HAVE none！ It isn't a position to be tired of the
whole thing。〃
〃You wouldn't accept it even in the case I put to himthat of her
believing she had been encouraged to throw over poor Porterfield？〃
〃Not evennot even。 Who can know what she believes？〃
It brought me back to where we had started from。 〃Then you do
exactly what I said you wouldyou show me a fine example of maternal
immorality。〃
〃Maternal fiddlesticks！ It was she who began it。〃
〃Then why did you come up today？〃 I asked。
〃To keep you quiet。〃
Mrs。 Nettlepoint's dinner was served on deck； but I went into the
saloon。 Jasper was there； but not Grace Mavis； as I had half…
expected。 I sought to learn from him what had become of her； if she
were illhe must have thought I had an odious pertinacityand he
replied that he knew nothing whatever about her。 Mrs。 Peck talked to
meor tried toof Mrs。 Nettlepoint； expatiating on the great
interest it had been to see her； only it was a pity she didn't seem
more sociable。 To this I made answer that she was to be excused on
the score of health。
〃You don't mean to say she's sick on this pond？〃
〃No； she's unwell in another way。〃
〃I guess I know the way！〃 Mrs。 Peck laughed。 And then she added： 〃I
suppose she came up to look after her pet。〃
〃Her pet？〃 I set my face。
〃Why Miss Mavis。 We've talked enough about that。〃
〃Quite enough。 I don't know what that has had to do with it。 Miss
Mavis； so far as I've noticed； hasn't been above today。〃
〃Oh it goes on all the same。〃
〃It goes on？〃
〃Well； it's too late。〃
〃Too late？〃
〃Well； you'll see。 There'll be a row。〃
This wasn't comforting； but I didn't repeat it on deck。 Mrs。
Nettlepoint returned early to her cabin； professing herself
infinitely spent。 I didn't know what 〃went on；〃 but Grace Mavis
continued not to show。 I looked in late； for a good…night to my
friend； and learned from her that the girl hadn't been to her。 She
had sent the stewardess to her room for news； to see if she were ill
and needed assistance； and the stewardess had come back with mere
mention of her not being there。 I went above after this； the night
was not quite so fair and the deck almost empty。 In a moment Jasper
Nettlepoint and our young lady moved past me together。 〃I hope
you're better！〃 I called after her； and she tossed me over her
shoulder〃Oh yes； I had a headache； but the air now does me good！〃
I went down againI was the only person there but they； and I wanted
not to seem to dog their stepsand； returning to Mrs。 Nettlepoint's
room； found （her door was open to the little passage） that she was
still sitting up。
〃She's all right！〃 I said。 〃She's on the deck with Jasper。〃
The good lady looked up at me from her book。 〃I didn't know you
called that all right。〃
〃Well； it's better than something else。〃
〃Than what else？〃
〃Something I was a little afraid of。〃 Mrs。 Nettlepoint continued to
look at me； she asked again what that might be。 〃I'll tell you when
we're ashore；〃 I said。
The next day I waited on her at the usual hour of my morning visit；
and found her not a little distraught。 〃The scenes have begun；〃 she
said； 〃you know I told you I shouldn't get through without them！ You
made me nervous last nightI haven't the least idea what you meant；
but you made me horribly nervous。 She came in to see me an hour ago；
and I had the courage to say to her： 'I don't know why I shouldn't
tell you frankly that I've been scolding my son about you。' Of
course she asked what I meant by that； and I let her know。 'It seems
to me he drags you about the ship too much for a girl in your
position。 He has the air of not remembering that you belong to some
one else。 There's a want of taste and even a want of respect in it。'
That brought on an outbreak： she became very violent。〃
〃Do you mean indignant？〃
〃Yes； indignant； and above all flustered and excitedat my presuming
to suppose her relations with my son not the very simplest in the
world。 I might scold him as much as I likedthat was between
ourselves； but she didn't see why I should mention such matters to
herself。 Did I think she allowed him to treat her with disrespect？
That idea wasn't much of a compliment to either of them！ He had
treated her better and been kinder to her than most other people
there were very few on the ship who hadn't been insulting。 She
should be glad enough when she got off it； to her own people； to some
one whom nobody would have a right to speak of。 What was there in
her position that wasn't perfectly natural？ what was the idea of
making a fuss about her position？ Did I mean that she took it too
easilythat she didn't think as much as she ought about Mr。
Porterfield？ Didn't I believe she was attached to himdidn't I
believe she was just counting the hours till she saw him？ That would
be the happiest moment of her life。 It showed how little I knew her
if I thought anything else。〃
〃All that must have been rather fineI should have liked to hear
it；〃 I said afte