Owen Oliver

“ He is a great admirer of grandma. That is why she likes him.”
“No,” grandma contradicted. “I like John because he is—what he is; and never pretends to be anything else.”
“Of course not!” cried Omi. “No nice man does!”
I began to feel a little uneasy.
“Only nice women?” I suggested.
“Of course!” said grandma. “Pretense is a poor, weak woman’s weapon; and she needs it! A man is different. He should be above all deception. Don’t you think so, Mr. Grant?”
The old lady looked very stern again; and I began to feel seriously uneasy about my friends the Lesters. ”

“ This is my first voyage; but I believe that a little excuse goes a long way at sea?” The old lady pursed her lips and glanced at her granddaughter questioningly. “I am very lonely,” I added desperately. Omi gave a quick, little nod; and grandma laughed softly. She had rather a pleasant look when she laughed, and I did not fancy she was so severe as she seemed.
“That is almost excuse enough,” she said; “and a friend of the Lesters should be a friend of mine. Sit down, Mr. Grant. I am Estelle Raynor. This is my granddaughter Naomi, Naomi Raynor. ”

“ We sat together till they went below; and then I carried their rugs and cushions, and we said good night on excellent terms.
We continued on excellent terms for the rest of the voyage, especially Omi and I. She did not seem to object to my constant attentions, Neither did grandma, since I was—as she frequently observed—a friend of the Lesters. They were always talking about them, and especially about John. He was quite a heroic young man, I gathered; a handsome giant, with the talent of a prime minister and the courage of a lion combined with the heart of a lamb. ”

“ Be as light-hearted as you can, and make fun of things—till you find things that you can’t make fun of—and pretend as much as you like to other people; but don’t pretend to each other. Above all, don’t pretend that you are not seriously fond of each other. Sometimes pretense becomes reality, my dears.”
Qmi jumped up and gave me her hands.
“Thank you, grandma,” she said. ”

“ I said. “We'll pretend that other people are plotting against you, but I am your friend in secret; and in love with you.”
“Oh!” she objected. “Bishops mustn’t!”
“Yes, they may,” I contradicted, “at a fancy-dress ball. And if they are they are, and you can’t alter it.”
“Very well,” she agreed. “You shall pretend what you like to-night; and I'll pretend what I like. Only we won’t believe a word that we say, because we’re only pretenders.”
“What is this about pretenders?” said grandma, at our elbow ”

“ She pointed to the great spangle of stars, and I felt as though she was pointing me to better things. “It seems—such a long way off to look up to.”
“It is the Southern Cross, Omi,” I said; “and it’s a long way off; and a man wants something nearer to look up to. ”

“ They were evidently hardened sailors, also, for they were the only ladies who sat out the second dinner. After dinner they sat on deck with rugs over their knees and talked and laughed; and I promenaded up and down, smoking a cigar. When I was passing them for the seventeenth time Omi aimed a smile at her grandmother—so she says—and hit me instead. The smile set fire to my courage and I walked up to them, and addressed the old lady.
“I beg your pardon,” I said, with a bow, “but I thought I heard you tion the Lesters of Lethbury yesterday?” ”

“ For though they took a light-hearted view of most things—grandma was not at all awesome when you knew her—they had extraordinarily serious views upon the subject of masculine deception. Mrs. Raynor was always preaching little sermons against men who pretended to be what they were not ”