THE CAPTAIN OF THE VOLHYNIA
The captain of the Volhynia had just come from the bridge and was taking a bite of late supper in his cabin when the orderly announced Neeland. He rose at once, offering a friendly hand:
“Mr. Neeland, I am very glad to see you. I know you by name and reputation already. There were some excellent pictures by you in the latest number of the Midweek Magazine.”
“I’m so glad you liked them, Captain West.”
“Yes, I did. There was a breeze in them—a gaiety. And such a fetching girl you drew for your heroine!”
“You think so! It’s rather interesting. I met a young girl once—she comes from up-state where I come from. There was a peculiar and rather subtle attraction about her face. So I altered the features of the study I was making from my model, and put in hers as I remembered them.”
“She must be beautiful, Mr. Neeland.”
“It hadn’t struck me so until I drew her from memory. And there’s more to the story. I never met her but twice in my life—the second time under exceedingly dramatic circumstances. And now I’m crossing the Atlantic at a day’s notice to oblige her. It’s an amusing story, isn’t it?”
“Mr. Neeland, I think it is going to be what you call a ‘continued’ story.”
“No. Oh, no. It ought to be, considering its 217 elements. But it isn’t. There’s no further romance in it, Captain West.”