It is not every one who cares to travel by the big palatial mail steamers, and the Sphinx —an old intermediate boatwas evidently going to be well filled. Amongst the first to attract my attention was a tall elderly man whom I set down in my mind as an English country gentleman. He had the rich healthy complexion that comes of a life in the open, and his grey sidewhiskers and shaven lip suggested at once the legendary figure of John Bull. There was an air of masterfulness, of obstinacy, about the man that made me judge him to be one whom it would be awkward to argue with.

I have said that he was amongst the first to attract my attention, but it was the girl who accompanied him that made me pick him from the common throng and hope that it might be he who was to share my cabin and act as my introduction to the lady.

She was very beautiful. The travelling dress that she wore set off her figure to advantage. Though only of medium height, her carriage and the set of her head made her seem taller. It was the beauty of her face, however, that stirred me to admiration. She was not vivacious. The brown eyes were soft and dreamy, and the sweet full lips drooped compassionately at the corners. Withal there was a feeling of

I was leaning on the rail close to the gangway, so that they passed close by me as they came aboard. At that moment

my polite cabin steward—now feverishly energetic-flitted across the deck. "Hi, you there," called the elderly gentleman in a peremptory tone. "Show us to our cabins. My name is Tanish number thirty-seven, I believe."

"Oh yes, sir-certainly, sir. Come this way. The other gentleman has just gone down, sir."

"Other gentleman! Who the devil's he?" Mr Tanish grew red in the face and his eyes seemed to swell in his head.

"The gent who has taken the other berth in thirty-seven, sir."

Mr Tanish exploded with rage. I decided in my mind that I was glad he was not to share forty-two, even if I lost that introduction.

"I refuse to share my cabin," he bellowed. "Do you hear? I refuse to sleep above some damned Yankee bagman. I shall make a ease of this! They assured me at the bookingoffice that I should have

"Father!"

The girl, whose striking beauty had drawn my attention to the couple, laid her hand upon his arm and looked up at him appealingly.

He shook the little hand off roughly, and continued his tirade at the top of his hearty voice. But the girl

was persistent.

pressed her father's arm, and said some words in a low voice.

Mr Tanish checked his flow of words, swallowed convulsively, and in a more reasonable tone said

"Very well, Marigold, have it your own way. Show me this cabin, steward-and the scoundrel who thinks- Yes, yes, Marigold, I will be patient -confound him!"

I turned to move away, feeling suddenly that I was an eavesdropper, and my movement attracted the attention of the steward. He recognised me, and with a few words of abject apology to Mr Tanish for the delay, he came over to my side.

"Exouse me, sir," he said, "but I thought you would be glad to know that you can have whichever berth you like. I find that you have the cabin to yourself. You are very fortunate, sir, for it is the only one on the ship that is not full up."

I thanked him for the information, and with a servile bow he hurried back to the fuming Mr Tanish.

I watched the trio disappear below, and after a few moments, with no thought of spying, but merely that I might lay out my belongings now that I knew I was to have the luxury of solitude, I followed.

As I went along the narrow corridor I walked into what promised to develop into an exciting rough-and-tumble. The sound of Mr Tanish's

"The thing is an outrage!" Mr Tanish was shouting as I came within hearing. "The most astounding piece piece of villainy I have met with in all my experience !"

"I can assure you, sir, it's no fault of mine." The voice of the stranger sounded ludicreusly mild and weak after Mr Tanish's domineering bass.

"You insult me by being en the ship, sir! As for occupying the same room with you, I would rather sleep in the coal-bunkers. Any one else I might have borne with, but that it should be you, a mean swindling thief- What the devil do you want?"

This last was to me. It was impossible to pass without interrupting the scene, and I could stay no longer without risking a charge of spying. So, with 8 mild "Excuse me, please," I had attempted to push my way through.

"Oh, father, please don't!" exclaimed the beautiful girl at this latest rudeness.

Whether it was the tremulous tone of her voice or the tears that floated on her beseeching eyes as she turned them from her father to me,

as though begging me not to make a further scene, I cannot tell, but instead of explaining that I merely wanted to pass, I made a suggestion which until that moment had not crossed my mind.

I addressed myself to the stranger with the gentle voice, whom so far I had not rightly

seen.

"Excuse my interference, sir," I said. "I couldn't help overhearing part of your conversation. There seems to be a slight misunderstanding, and as I have a two-berth cabin to myself I shall be pleased to have you share it—if you don't object, sir?" I could not help adding, turning at the same time to Mr Tanish.

"It has nothing to do with me," he replied, somewhat embarrassed, as irascible people are apt to be when reduced from bullying to politeness. "I care nothing where he goes, provided that I am quit of him."

I turned to the man who was spoken of so contemptuously and repeated my offer. "You're real good, young man, " he said. 66 It seems to me the best thing I can do is to take you at your word."

"Very well. I'm number forty-two. Get the steward to fetch your things along."

They stood aside to let me pass. Mr Tanish made no acknowledgment as I raised my hat, but his daughter inolined her head, and the words "Thank you," murmured almost under her breath, just reached my ear.

A moment before I had

dubbed myself a silly ass for interfering in what was no concern of mine, and for giving up the comfort of my cabin to a man whom I had not even properly seen, and whom I had heard called a mean swindling thief; but that gently breathed word of thanks altered my outlook, and I went on to my cabin feeling repaid for the sacrifice of my comfort.

A minute or two later there was a knook upon my door. It opened in response to my invitation, and for the first time I saw the features of the man who was to mean so much in my life.

to

It is difficult to give an adequate description of Jabez Morgan. As he entered my cabin, with an amiable smile upon his clean-shaven face, I set him down at once as harmless and insignificant. He had sandy hair and light eyebrows and lashes. His grey eyes looked out with an appearance of wonder from behind goldrimmed spectacles. His somewhat pale face had no outstanding characteristics give it distinction. The nose was medium in size and inolined to snub. The cheeks were full and rounded into the chin, so that the jawbone was hidden and gave no index to character. His clothingsome kind of tweed-was neither new nor old. Altogether Jabez Morgan was the kind of man whom one would pass a dozen times and still fail to recognise at the thirteenth meeting. In age he might have been anything

from twenty-eight to fortyfive.

"At least," I thought, as I glanced at the mild expression of the newcomer, "there will be no trouble about that upper berth."

"I do feel grateful, young man," he said as he entered. "My baggage is outside. If I may, I'll let the steward bring it in."

"Certainly," I replied-adding inanely, out of an instinctive desire to be polite, "just make yourself at home.

Taking me at my word, he called in the steward and proceeded to stow away his belongings.

"Just put that grip in the upper berth, steward. This gentleman will be taking the lower,"

I protested at once. "Not at all," I said hurriedly, "I would prefer

"No, no, sir," he interrupted. "I'm an interloper, and must rough it a bit. You have done enough for me already. That's right, stewardthe upper berth."

I made some further attempt at protest, but the man seemed so convinced that he was doing me a favour that at last I gave it up, although with an uneasy feeling at the back of my head that I had been done.

When the steward had left us to ourselves, the little man -I always feel inclined to call him little, for he gave that impression, though as a matter of fact he was really of quite average height-proceeded to unpack, conversing with me

as he bent over his portmanteau.

"Lucky for me you happened along when you did. You see, our friend objects to me using this earth at all. Mind you, it's my fault-entirely my fault. I've kind of annoyed him one way and another. By the way, my name is Morgan-Jabez Morgan. What's yours?"

He beamed at me through his spectacles, pausing in his unpacking while he awaited my answer.

"Robert Seaton-at your service, Mr Morgan," I replied.

"At yours, Mr Seaton," said he, not to be outdone in politeness. "You will find me grateful for your kindness, sir. Everything shall be as you want it here, for the cabin is yours by right. And that reminds me you won't have any objection, will you now, to me bolting the door at night? I'm so very nervous I couldn't sleep unless knew the door was securely bolted."

I

Now I have a rooted objeotion to bolted doors. I hate to feel that I am under any restraint, and on a ship especially one wants to be able to get out quickly.

I told Mr Morgan my views as plainly as I could.

"That's all right," he replied in his gentle way, "You leave it to me. Everything in this cabin must be just as you would have it."

With this somewhat indeterminate answer he left the subject, and soon after we