The Complete Works of Stephen Crane by Stephen Crane

informing people of their own affairs,” he observed, “but I should say that you were about as much of an artist as I am.”
    Frowning slightly, she reflected upon this reply. Then, of a sudden, she laughed. “There is no use in being angry with you, Rufus. You always were a hopeless scamp. But,” she added, childishly wistful, “have you ever seen Fly by Night? Don’t you think my dance in the second act is artistic?”
    “No,” said Coleman, “I haven’t seen Fly by Night yet, but of course I know that you are the most beautiful dancer on the stage. Everybody knows that.” It seemed that her hand tightened on his arm. Her face was radiant. “There,” she exclaimed. “Now you are forgiven. You are a nice boy, Rufus — sometimes.”
    When Miss Black went to her cabin, Coleman strolled into the smoking room. Every man there covertly or openly surveyed him. He dropped lazily into a chair at a table where the wine merchant, the Chicago railway king and the New York millionaire were playing cards. They made a noble pretense of not being aware of him. On the oilcloth top of the table the cards were snapped down, turn by turn.
    Finally the wine merchant, without lifting his head to address a particular person, said: “New conquest.” -
    Hailing a steward Coleman asked for a brandy and soda.
    The millionaire said: “He’s a sly cuss, anyhow.” The railway man grinned. After an elaborate silence the wine merchant asked: “Know Miss Black long, Rufus?” Coleman looked scornfully at his friends. “What’s wrong with you there, fellows, anyhow?” The Chicago man answered airily. “Oh, nothin’. Nothin’, whatever.”
    At dinner in the crowded salon, Coleman was aware that more than one passenger glanced first at Nora Black and then at him, as if connecting them in some train of thought, moved to it by the narrow horizon of shipboard and by a sense of the mystery that surrounds the lives of the beauties of the stage. Near the captain’s right hand sat the glowing and splendid Nora, exhibiting under the gaze of the persistent eyes of many meanings, a practiced and profound composure that to the populace was terrfying dignity.
    Strolling toward the smoking room after dinner, Coleman met the New York millionaire, who seemed agitated. He took Coleman fraternally by the arm. “Say, old man, introduce me, won’t you? I’m crazy to know her.”
    “Do you mean Miss Black?” asked Coleman.
    “Why, I don’t know that I have a right. Of course, you know, she hasn’t been meeting anybody aboard. I’ll ask her, though — certainly.”
    “Thanks, old man, thanks. I’d be tickled to death. Come along and have a drink. When will you ask her?”
    “Why, I don’t know when I’ll see her. To-morrow, I suppose—”
    They had not been long in the smoking room, however, when the deck steward came with a card to Coleman. Upon it was written: “Come for a stroll?” Everybody saw Coleman read this card and then look up and whisper to the deck steward. The deck steward bent his head and whispered discreetly in reply. There was an abrupt pause in the hum of conversation. The interest was acute.
    Coleman leaned carelessly back in his chair, puffing at his cigar. He mingled calmly in a discussion of the comparative merits of certain trans-Atlantic lines. After a time he threw away his cigar and arose. Men nodded. “Didn’t I tell you?” His studiously languid exit was made dramatic by the eagle-eyed attention of the smoking room.
    On deck, he found Nora pacing to and fro. “You didn’t hurry yourself,” she said, as he joined her. The lights of Queenstown were twinkling. A warm wind, wet with the moisture of rain-stricken sod, was coming from the land.
    “Why,” said Coleman, “we’ve got all these duffers very much excited.”
    “Well, what do you care?” asked the girl. “You don’t care, do you?”
    “No, I don’t care. Only it’s rather absurd to be watched all the time.” He said this precisely as