firm is more truly in command than several subalterns or lieutenants put together, but his home-folk don't see him at it, so remain unawed. Even the Octavia type is more impressed by seeing a barrister friend in court than in the drawing-room. Anyhow, to come back to where I started, Bobbie as part of a battleship is much more respect-inspiring than Bobbie at a picnic. Of course one would not wish to be married to a "man-of-war like Elizabeth, but it would be salutary to see him being it occasionally.

When the ship had taken up her position, and nothing more seemed to be happening, I got back to Sliema as quickly as possible; Bobbie might telephone, and of course I really wanted my tea.

Captain Castellani was there when I got back, and wanted us to motor to Birzebbugia and dine with him there-that is to say, he asked us both, but of course he wanted only Octavia. So I made some excuse not to go-and it is no longer difficult to persuade Octavia to go alone.

While I changed my frock and Octavia was getting ready for her drive, she asked me with a rather feeble effort at archness why I was putting on my new dress only to be alone, "and Bobbie not even in the island!" Octavia is so categorically minded-she cannot understand dressing for one's own satisfaction, and not for any stateable " reason." I

just felt like a new dress. I spent some time playing-I had got some of the music from Bohème,' as Bobbie wanted me to, also Massenet's Manon,' which we had seen several times. That is the chief joy of the Opera in Malta-it is so cheap one can go over and over again to one's favourites, without feeling it a shocking waste of opportunity not to hear a new one each time.

But by nine o'clock playing to myself seemed rather dull, and I went up to the roof instead. If only there were long twilight, I think the climate would be perfect, but darkness always about seven o'clock, summer and winter, is a mistake. Yes; it would be quite jolly to be back in England for the summer, and Bobbie said he would have "leaf " then, and of course we would do lots of jolly things. Ten o'clock ! Useless sitting on the roof doing nothing. I might as well go to bed and read. There was no use waiting up for Octavia and her Capitano. They were a pair of idiots anyhow! I wished I had not put on the new dress. I had probably spoilt it on the roof, and anyhow I felt more like a dressing-gown and bedroom slippers now. Stupid aimless existence this! I thought we ought to go home soon. Only I supposed Octavia would think she wanted to stay to improve her Italian or her knowledge of archæology, or some such ostrich-like reason! With all her theories and strong

mindedness, Octavia was as blind as a bat about the obvious. If she must be in love with an ice-cream capitano, let her at least acknowledge it. I hate that kind of hypocrisy. I have always known exactly what I felt about men and things, and if I were in love I should admit it frankly.

Octavia returned just as I went down, both of them apparently very pleased about nothing in particular. After an unnecessarily lengthy talk and drink, the Capitano removed himself, asking me idiotically as he left, "You 'ave headache, Mees Meadows? And when I said "No," a little shortly, Octavia in her flat-footed way said she thought I was merely

cross.

"But I've got a piece of news to cheer you up," she went on; "Bobbie's ship is in again-came in early this afternoon. Did he ring you up this evening ? "

"No, he didn't," I replied. And added, "I knew his ship was in, but I forgot to tell you. Good-night."

I did sleep eventually; but I wondered for some time what induced me to lie so unnecessarily and about something so entirely unimportant. Perhaps I had a headache after all at least, I felt very much better next morning after breakfast. "Octavia!" I called upstairs, as she was late, "Octavia! There's a letter from Bobbie. He could not get ashore yesterday, so couldn't ring us up; but he's coming

this morning, and he wants me to lunch with him."

Octavia seemed a little peevish this morning, for instead of being interested she only said, "Well, surely there's time enough for that without shouting at me before I've even had breakfast."

That's the worst of these people in love; they are so moody!

I crossed to Valetta in a dghaisa. They were gayer than ever now, as they had white sun-awnings up, like well puton babies' perambulators! We met on on the Barracca, and Bobbie came up by the lift, so arrived from a cage at my feet, like a demon in a pantomime, but a nice, plodding, conscientious demon, for there's nothing unduly sudden about that lift! He was also a rather gloomy demon, and hardly even saw with half-unconscious eye I wore the colours he approved; but for once his clothes were more interesting than mine for he had "shipped" his halfstripe, and was a whole degree more important in the world! Of course, he had also "shipped" the extra degree of bored indifference, which is the outward and visible sign of inward and British pride! But this alone did not explain the gloom : he proceeded to do so now.

"The ship's going home in two days to refit, and I suppose I shall be chucked into a new job of some kind," moaned Bobbie. "Goodness only knows where-China as likely as not."

"But Bobbie, you mustn't go abroad!-at least not till after the summer! What about the leave you were going to spend with us, and the yacht on the Norfolk Broads, and the fishing in Scotland, and all the everything we planned?" "Don't ask me; ask the Admiralty," groaned Bobbie.

"Of course, I should frightfully envy you seeing China," I went on, just to cheer him up. "So much more interesting than Portsmouth or Harwich or Rosyth or dull ordinary places like that."

"I daresay," responded the unelated Bobbie, "but they're jolly good places to get away from! If you do get leave in China, what's the use of it? To go from a Ho-wo-ho to a Wo-ho-wo, or some such stuttering spot!

Nonsense, Bobbie," I said severely. Travelling is the jolliest thing in the world, and to do it all at Government expense, and be paid while you do it! What could be jollier?"

As for Octavia : there are some people would never have been in love had they never heard talk of it, and she is one of them. I had known for months she was really in love with the Capitano, and it required no great acumen to see he was in love with her

but it needed the discussion of my feelings to wake her up

"What is the use of staying on in Malta any longer?" I asked Octavia a day or so after Bobbie left. "Winter at home is quite gone....

laughing. "All the same," she continued, "we shall find England pretty cold after this, and we might be better to wait till July."

ness.

All right," I assented carelessly, "but the proportion of heat here to cold at home will remain much the same, and it will certainly be dull here without either Bobbie or Captain Castellani."

That brought her head out as though I had pulled the tail-feathers! Had Octavia had the sense to ask straight out what the Capitano had said about leaving, my bluff would have been called, but of course she maintained an air of exaggerated and unconvincing indifference. All the same, it was decided we should see about getting a passage home. It required no management on my part to make Octavia feel she could do this far more efficiently than I, and when I had got her safely despatched to Valetta, I sent a note to Captain Castellani to come in. He came, of course, and looked slightly mystified to find me alone.

"It's about going home," I told him. "Don't you think going back by Italy would be a far better idea than just repeating the journey by sea!" Naturally he thought soenthusiastically.

"Of course," I went on, "it's more complicated, as neither of us have ever been there, and even Octavia doesn't know much Italian, even now, does she?"

porters and customs officials; you know it would be difficult to think of any at all to the purpose from Dante or d'Annunzio."

The Capitano agreed. Then, the force of mental suggestion evidently beginning to work, he cried out

Why

Corpo di Baccho! should I not come too, and be your courier? My mother has been imploring me to return there before my leave-of-sickness is over. Will you do this, Miss Meadows, and get Miss Fanning to agree?"

I became very uncertain at once. I could not tell how Miss Fanning would consider the suggestion, but I would do my best, and so on.

Captain Castellani became more and more enthusiastic, and sketched the joys and beauties of his native land so soulfully that one wondered how he had borne exile in Malta for so long! A great degree of brotherly love, no doubt!

Octavia came back while he was still expatiating, and we had tea. Poor Octavia required a little refreshment! By now Valetta was getting very stuffy and hot, and we no longer found any amusement in going there unnecessarily. Also she had found her investigations unrewarding. There seemed no likelihood of a steamer home for an undefined time. Malta is a very mys

VOL. CCXV.-NO. MCCCI.

N 2

there seems nothing to take you away again! Octavia, with her usual sense, explained there was nothing more mysterious in it than that Malta imports much more than she exports, but I can't believe that is the whole explanation. When we were in England, quite half a dozen different routes were offered us by the accommodating Cook's man, though, of course, it may have been an empty civility on his part, like the Mad Hatter offering Alice wine when there wasn't any. Now there appeared no way of leaving the island but by the small steamer to Sicily, and so home through Italy!

Octavia looked doubtful and thoughtful.

"It seems a good idea," I insinuated casually, "because Captain Castellani is going to the north of Italy then anyhow, and I am sure would help us as far as Rome."

Octavia continued to look thoughtful, but considerably less doubtful, so I felt I might now leave the matter to the Capitano's eloquence, and disappeared "to look out our Baedekers."

When I came back, after a protracted hunt for the books on my dressing-table, the two had got the whole affair arranged, and Octavia was, as usual, astonishing and delighting her Latin lover with her extremely practical and business-like ability. All that remained to do was to give up our purple house to its chocolate owner.

The steamer which runs to Syracuse is an Italian one, and Octavia thought it would be good practice for her to see about the passages ' on her own basis." Oh, what a fall was there, my countrywoman! The minor French official is disagreeable enough, but the Italian is a good deal worse! Charming manners are a perquisite of the upper classes, and even then reserved for society, I think; but the true Latin view of women's inferiority comes out undisguised in the petty official! Octavia not only did not get the passages she wanted, but did not even get reasonable civility. All the Suffrage blood in her boiled! I sent for Captain Castellani, and Octavia was too angry with the steamer company to realise her descent to dependence! Off they went together, Octavia demanding of the Capitano his compatriots' heads on a charger! In point of fact, there was no need for repressive measures! The moment a man, and an officer at that, appeared, all the uncivil heads were bowed to the ground, and there was nothing the signor desired that he could not have, unto the half of their steamer ! Personally, I could have patted all their fulsomely bending backs, for they could have managed nothing better to make the man-despising Octavia lean on the protecting arm of her Capitano !

This was a Tuesday, and the steamer would come in on Thursday-not much time to