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princess would want a Western American； and then Miss Rasmith； with a
delicate audacity； painted an heroic portrait of Boyne himself which he
could not recognize openly enough to disown； but he perceived
resemblances in it which went to his head when she demurely rose； with a
soft 〃Good…night； Mr。 Kenton。 I suppose I mustn't call you Boyne？〃
〃Oh yes； do！〃 he entreated。 〃I'm…I'm not grown up yet； you know。〃
〃Then it will be safe；〃 she sighed。 〃But I should never have thought of
that。 I had got so absorbed in our argument。 You are so logical； Mr。
KentonBoyne； I meanthank you。 You must get it from your father。 How
lovely your sister is！〃
〃Ellen？〃
〃Well； no。 I meant the other one。 But Miss Kenton is beautiful； too。
You must be so happy together； all of you。〃 She added； with a rueful
smile； 〃There's only one of me！ Good…night。〃
Boyne did not know whether he ought not in humanity； if not gallantry； to
say he would be a brother to her； but while he stood considering； she put
out a hand to him so covered with rings that he was afraid she had hurt
herself in pressing his so hard； and had left him before he could decide。
Lottie； walking the deck； had not thought of bidding Mr。 Pogis good…
night。 She had asked him half a dozen times how late it was； and when he
answered； had said as often that she knew better； and she was going below
in another minute。 But she stayed； and the flow of her conversation
supplied him with occasion for the remarks of which he seldom varied the
formula。 When she said something too audacious for silent emotion； he
called out； 〃Oh； I say！〃 If she advanced an opinion too obviously
acceptable； or asked a question upon some point where it seemed to him
there could not be two minds； he was ready with the ironical note； 〃Well；
rather！〃 At times she pressed her studies of his character and her
observations on his manner and appearance so far that he was forced to
protest； 〃You are so personal！〃 But these moments were rare； for the
most part； 〃Oh I say！〃 and 〃Well； rather！〃 perfectly covered the
ground。 He did not generally mind her parody of his poverty of phrase；
but once； after she had repeated 〃Well rather！〃 and 〃Oh； I say！〃
steadily at everything he said for the whole round of the promenade they
were making； he intimated that there were occasions when； in his belief；
a woman's abuse of the freedom generously allowed her sex passed the
point of words。
〃And when it passes the point of words〃 she taunted him； 〃what do you
do？〃
〃You will see；〃 he said； 〃if it ever does；〃 and Lottie felt justified by
her inference that he was threatening to kiss her； in answering：
〃And if I ever SEE； I will box your ears。〃
〃Oh； I say！〃 he retorted。 〃I should like to have you try。〃
He had ideas of the rightful mastery of a man in all things； which she
promptly pronounced brutal； and when he declared that his father's
conduct towards his wife and children was based upon these ideas； she
affirmed the superiority of her own father's principles and behavior。
Mr。 Pogis was too declared an admirer of Judge Kenton to question his
motives or method in anything； and he could only generalize； 〃The
Americans spoil their women。〃
〃Well； their women are worth it；〃 said Lottie； and after allowing the
paradox time to penetrate his intelligence； he cried out； in a glad
transport：
〃Oh； I SAY！〃
At the moment Boyne's intellectual seance with Miss Rasmith was coming to
an end。 Lottie had tacitly invited Mr。 Pogis to prolong the comparison
of English and American family life by stopping in front of a couple of
steamer…chairs； and confessing that she was tired to death。 They sat
down； and he told her about his mother； whom； although his father's
subordinate； he seemed to be rather fonder of。 He had some elder
brothers； most of them in the colonies； and he had himself been out to
America looking at something his father had found for him in Buffalo。
〃You ought to come to Tuskingum；〃 said Lottie。
〃Is that a large place？〃 Mr。 Pogis asked。 〃As large as Buffalo？〃
〃Well； no；〃 Lottie admitted。 〃But it's a growing place。 And we have the
best kind of times。〃
〃What kind？〃 The young man easily consented to turn the commercial into
a social inquiry。
〃Oh； picnics； and river parties； and buggy…rides； and dances。〃
〃I'm keen on dancing；〃 said Mr。 Pogis。 〃I hope they'll give us a dance
on board。 Will you put me down for the first dance？〃
〃I don't care。 Will you send me some flowers？ The steward must have
some left in the refrigerator。〃
〃Well； rather！ I'll send you a spray； if he's got enough。〃
〃A spray？ What's a spray？〃
〃Oh； I say！ My sister always wears one。 It's a long chain of flowers
reachin' from your shoulder diagonally down to your waist。〃
Does your sister always have her sprays sent to her？〃
〃Well； rather！ Don't they send flowers to girls for dances in the
States？〃
〃Well； rather！ Didn't I just ask you？〃
This was very true； and after a moment of baffle Mr。 Pogis said； in
generalization； 〃If you go with a young lady in a party to the theatre
you send her a box of chocolates。〃
〃Only when you go to theatre！ I couldn't get enough； then； unless you
asked me every night；〃 said Lottie； and while Mr。 Pogis was trying to
choose between 〃Oh； I say！〃 and something specific； like； 〃I should like
to ask you every night；〃 she added； 〃And what would happen if you sent a
girl a spray for the theatre and chocolates for a dance？ Wouldn't it jar
her？〃
Now； indeed； there was nothing for him but to answer； 〃Oh； I say！〃
〃Well； say； then！ Here comes Boyne； and I must go。 Well； Boyne；〃 she
called； from the dark nook where she sat； to her brother as he stumbled
near； with his eyes to the stars； 〃has the old lady retired？〃
He gave himself away finely。 〃What old lady！〃
〃Well； maybe at your age you don't consider her very old。 But I don't
think a boy ought to sit up mooning at his grandmother all night。 I know
Miss Rasmith's no relation； if that's what you're going to say！〃
〃Oh； I say！〃 Mr。 Pogis chuckled。 〃You are so personal。〃
〃Well； rather！〃 said Lottie； punishing his presumption。 〃But I don't
think it's nice for a kid； even if she isn't。〃
〃Kid！〃 Boyne ground； through his clenched teeth。
By this time Lottie was up out of her chair and beyond repartee in her
flight down the gangway stairs。 She left the two youngsters confronted。
〃What do you say to a lemon…squash？〃 asked Mr。 Pogis； respecting his
friend's wounded dignity； and ignoring Lottie and her offence。
〃I don't care if I do；〃 said Boyne in gloomy acquiescence。
XV。
Few witnesses of the fact that Julia Rasmith and her mother had found
themselves on the same steamer with the Rev。 Hugh Breckon would have been
of such a simple mind as to think they were there by accident； if they
had also been witnesses of their earlier history。 The ladies could have
urged that in returning from California only a few days before the Amstel
sailed； and getting a state…room which had been unexpectedly given up；
they had some claim to a charitable interpretation of their behavior； but
this plea could not have availed them with any connoisseur of women。
Besides； it had been a matter of notoriety among such of Mr。 Breckon's
variegated congregation as knew one another that Mrs。 Rasmith had set her
heart on him； it Julia had not set her cap for him。 In that pied flock；
where every shade and dapple of doubt； from heterodox Jew to agnostic
Christian； foregathered； as it has been said； in the misgiving of a
blessed immortality； the devotion of Mrs。 Rasmith to the minister had
been almost a scandal。 Nothing had saved the appearance from this
character but Mr。 Breckon's open acceptance of her flatteries and
hospitalities； this was so frank； and the behavior of Julia herself so
judicious under the circumstances； that envy and virtue were； if not
equally silenced； equally baffled。 So far from pretending not to see her
mother's manoeuvres； Julia invited public recognition of them； in the way
of joking； which she kept within the limits of filial fondness； she made
fun of her mother's infatuation to Breckon h