At times, he called himself to order; at times, both Iris and Carmela affected not to have heard him.
But Carmela's interest never flagged.

Nor did Bulmer's.

As the yarn progressed--for Watts and Schmidt and Norrie had joined them, and the whole party was seated in an inner room where an impromptu meal was provided--both the woman of Brazil and the man of Lancashire seized on the same unspoken _motif_.

Every incident centered in the striking personality of Philip Hozier.

From the instant the second shell struck the winch, and laid him apparently dead on the forecastle, to the very hour of this coming together at Las Flores, Hozier held the stage.