been better for him as well as for me if he had kept away from the
Island of Sabatini. Tell me, what did Lady Blennington say about us
last night?"

His eyes twinkled.

"She told me that Mr. Weatherley was wrecked upon the Island of
Sabatini, and that your brother kept him in a dungeon till he
promised to marry you."

She laughed.

"And you? What did you think of that?"

"I thought," he replied, "that if adventures of that sort were to be
found in those seas, I would like to beg or borrow the money to sail
there myself and steer for the rocks."

"For a boy," she declared, "you say very charming things. Tell me,
how old are you?"

"Twenty-four."

"You would not look so old if it were not for that line. You know, I
read characters and fortunes. All the women of my race have done so.
I can tell you that you had a youth of ease and happiness and one
year of terrible life. Then you started again. It is true, is it
not?"

"Very nearly," he admitted.