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 "But there are mysteries and mysteries. Have you any sisters, Mr. Hernando?"

"No."

"No sisters!" she repeated, with mock severity. "Then I fear that your education has been sadly neglected. Ask Jack what he thinks on the subject."

Hearing his name mentioned, Jack joined them and a lively debate followed, so that it was after one o'clock before they went to bed, and two of them, at least, sought their pillows strangely disturbed in spirit. Hernando tossed restlessly on his soft bed. Try as he would to banish the vision, Celeste's sweet face always appeared before him and, like some half-forgotten emotion revived, his heart beat tumultuously. A less discerning eye than his could easily see that Celeste was interested; but why did he find it so difficult to meet those eyes? A sense of uncongeniality with the atmosphere of this woman, the antitype of any he had ever known, disturbed. Chinatown interesting! For the first time in years a red flush of shame surged