"I know you don't," he agreed calmly. "But you think you do! And that's where you are mistaken! If you take my advice, Mrs. Lawless, you'll make a friend of me." 

She stared at him with growing indignation. 

"Why, whatever for?" she asked blankly. She had never been spoken to in such a manner before. 

Feathers laughed again, and ran his fingers through his unruly hair. 

"Well, for one thing, I'm your husband's best friend," he said sententiously. "And I always think it's policy for a woman to keep in with her husband's best friend. What do you think?" 

There was nothing but friendliness in his voice and words, but they angered Marie. 

"My husband's friends don't interest me in the least," she said untruthfully. 

Feathers stooped and picked up another smooth pebble, with which he skillfully skimmed the surface of the sea half a dozen times. 

"That's a pity," he said. "And sounds as if you are very young." He looked down at her. "How old are you?" he asked interestedly. 

She ignored the last question. Her eyes were indignant as she answered: "It may sound as if I am very young, but it also sounds as if you are very rude and inquisitive." 

His dark face flushed. 

"I beg your pardon. I hadn't the least intention of being either rude or inquisitive," he said hastily. "I should like to be friends with you. As a rule, I've no use for women any more than . . ." He stopped abruptly, biting his lip, but Marie knew that he had been 33 going to add, "Any more than Chris has." 

33

There was a little silence. 

"Have you got any brothers?" he asked abruptly. "No, of course, I know you haven't. Well, why not look upon me as a sort of big brother?" His eyes were upon her again; kind eyes they were beneath their shaggy brows. 

Marie gave a forced little laugh. 

"Thank you; I don't want a brother." 

"Not now, of course," he agreed. "But we never know what we may want in this queer old world, and brothers can be very useful things at times, you know." 

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