I am engaged to Mary Garland." Rowland sat staring; though the sea was calm, it seemed to him that the ship gave a great dizzying lurch.

But in a moment he contrived to answer coherently: "Engaged to Miss Garland! I never supposed--I never imagined"-- "That I was in love with her ?" Roderick interrupted.

"Neither did I, until this last fortnight.

But you came and put me into such ridiculous good-humor that I felt an extraordinary desire to tell some woman that I adored her.

Miss Garland is a magnificent girl; you know her too little to do her justice.