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neither yielding an inch. Then Tony’s face flashed and was sombre again.

“If you mean that Pamela and I ought to marry,” he said deliberately, “I must say that that is a wilder scheme than mine. To begin with, she wouldn’t look at me—and to end with, I wouldn’t marry her, for several good reasons.”

“Oh?”

“The first: I don’t believe in the marriage of cousins. And then—I don’t love her, and I’m primitive enough not to wish to marry for convenience. And—I—don’t want to marry anyone just yet. I’m young enough.”

“Ah!” said Alison, “it is easy to throw aside now, isn’t it?”

“My name? Yes. I never got a red cent out of it—no, nor a clean memory. I shall be glad to start fresh. The only thing I shall lose is the mate’s certificate I worked for two years ago, that’s made out to St. Croix and I shall not be able to use it next time I want a berth. But now that I’ve passed, it won’t be hard to pass again if I want to. I don’t grudge that.”

“See, Tony,” said Alison slowly, “you are very young, you’re grown-up in some ways, but in others you are just a boy. You will think differently about these things by and by.”

“Yes?”

“Yes—you’ll be sorry. Now you are very sure of yourself, but in years to come you will want what you are throwing away now, and then nothing can give it to you. You’ll want———”

“What?” he asked, and his mouth had its ugly twist. “The money? That’s not like you, Alison. What if I do? More shame to me. At present I feel that I’d rather earn it myself. And there’s nothing else that I’m throwing away.”

Oh, yes there is, Boy!”