Page:Waylaid by Wireless - Balmer - 1909.djvu/260

Rh assured me again. 'But this gentleman spoke to me first!' he corrected again patiently.

Oh, excuse me,' I apologized, falling in with their mood as gracefully as I could. 'Of course, he ordered first. But bring along my thousand—I mean my two hundred pounds, as soon as you can, steward.'

"He agreed affably and started off, but he slipped up on his national training somewhere, for pretty soon he was back without the pool, but with the head steward, the foot steward, the table and the deck stewards, the purser, the freight clerk, and about every other higher critic out of bed except the chef. But what is the matter, Miss Varris?" Preston asked suddenly, as he watched the girl with quick alarm. "What is it?"

The girl was suddenly rubbing her gloved hands together and feeling her fingers beneath the kid. And quickly then she caught at her breast and throat and fumbled under the cloth. She paled an instant and then forced a smile.

"Oh—nothing," she said. "I beg your 234