During the day he saw nothing of her, and he was growing conscious of the fact that she was purposely avoiding contact with him.

This did not displease him.

It allowed him to pick up the threads of other interests in a normal sort of way.

He discussed Alaskan politics in the smoking-room, smoked his black pipe without fear of giving offense, and listened to the talk of the ship with a freedom of mind which he had not experienced since his first meeting with Miss Standish.

Yet, as night drew on, and he walked his two-mile promenade about the deck, he felt gathering about him a peculiar impression of aloneness.