Part 7 (2/2)

”When I choose”

”Ah!” It was a sigh rather than an exclamation ”And yet, on the shi+p--do you remember? Look at ht?”

Her lips were parted with tree fire, and yet were tender Indeed, she orthy of a thought”--dangerously so; I felt my pulse stir It was necessary to assu, and I looked at her with a cynical smile and spoke in a voice as carefully deliberate as I could make it

”Le Mire,” I said, ”I could love you, but I won't” And I turned and left her without another word

Why? I haven't the slightest idea It must have been my vanity Some few men had conquered Le Mire; others had surrendered to her; certainly none had ever been able to resist her There was a satisfaction in it

I walked about the lobby of the hotel till Harry returned, idiotically pleased with myself

At the breakfast table I acquainted Harry with our plans for a cruise, and he was fully as eager about it as Le Mire had been He wanted to weigh anchor that very afternoon I explained that it was necessary to wait for funds from New York

”How much?” said he ”I'm loaded”

”I've sent for a hundred thousand,” said I

”Are you going to buy her?” he demanded with astonishment

Then we fell to a discussion of routes Harry was for Hawaii; Le Mire for South America

We tossed a coin

”Heads,” said Desiree, and so it fell

I requested Le Mire to keep to the hotel as closely as possible for the days during which it was necessary for us to remain in San Francisco

She did so, but with an apparent effort

I have never seen a creature so full of nervous energy and fire; only by severe restraint could she force herself to even a sree of coh what they found to talk about was beyondover with ideas, and one cannot say ”I love you” for twenty-four hours a day

It was a cool, sunny day in the latter part of October eighed anchor and passed through the Golden Gate I had leased the yacht for a year, and had made alternative plans in case Le Mire should tire of the sport, which I thought extrehted with the yacht, which was not surprising, for she was as perfect a craft as I have seen Sides white as sea-foaany, and as clean and shi+pshape as a Dutch kitchen There were five roo-room, and library

We had provisioned her well, and had a jewel of a cook

Our first port was Santa Catalina We dropped anchor there at about five o'clock in the afternoon of such a day as only southern California can boast of, and the dingey was lowered to take us ashore

”What is there?” asked Le Mire, pointing to the shore as we stood leaning on the rail waiting for the crew to place the ladder

I answered: ”Tourists”