They had watched over her, and protected her, and slaved for her, for besides pity there was in every man's soul the fiercest desire that nothing,--absolutely nothing,--should be left undone to insure the happy delivery of the babe they were counting so keenly upon! She was a frail, delicate English girl whom Cruise had married in Buenos Aires the year before.

He was taking her up to his mother's home in Connecticut.

His death,--alas, his annihilation!--almost killed her.
There were those who said she would die of grief.

But, broken and frail as she was, she made the fight.

And now came the news that she had "pulled through." There were mothers on board with tiny babies,--three or four of them, in fact,--peevish, squalling infants that innocently undertook to inspire loathing in the souls of these self-same men.