The midshipman hesitated in some confusion. He saw that he must take Helen into his confidence, or seem extremely rude to his ambassador’s daughter.
“We were on the way,” Phil explained, “in Mr. Impey’s motor car, when we ran over a Japanese messenger. Afterward it was so late and we were both so agitated that we went directly to the hotel.”
Helen showed her interest and sympathy for the victim in many rapid questions, and Phil thereupon told her the story.
“Mr. Impey will not be here to-night,” she said, after Phil had finished his recital. “I had a note from him before leaving home, in which he said he would be detained on business.” She was glancing as she spoke at her dance card: the music had again started, and the dancers were moving toward the ballroom.
“This dance is his,” she added as Phil made a movement to stand, expecting Helen would also return to the ballroom. “Are you engaged for it?” she asked.
“No, I’m very glad to say.”
“Then if you don’t mind we shall stay here; it’s too beautiful to go inside.”
Helen regarded the young man with anxious eyes as she suddenly asked a question which had been long in her thoughts.
“Why has the ‘Alaska’ come to Japan?”
Phil looked up, surprise in his face at the sudden turn in the conversation.