Lord Loveland Discovers America

								

placed by an attentive steward in a sheltered corner nearly amidship.
This advantage was secured by a tempting tip, a tip out of all
proportion to the giver's resources: but then, there were many people on
the Mauretania who came on board more like clients returning to a
hotel where they had been known by the management for years, than
passengers travelling on a new ship; and Loveland did not intend to be
defeated in an unequal competition. He wanted the best of everything on
this trip, and felt that money would be well spent in obtaining it. He
always did feel this when he had any money--or credit--to spend.
Possibly he might have economized coin by parading his title, but though
spoiled and conceited he was also a gentleman, and while he might trade
upon his position for the matrimonial market, would not flaunt it
gratuitously. He considered he would be giving value for value: taking a
girl's dollars and making her a Marchioness: but he thought too much of
himself to "put on side."
When the deck-steward politely asked if he wished to use a visiting card
as a chair-marker, Val told him to write the name of Loveland on a slip
of paper or a luggage label; anything would do. So the steward did as he
was bidden, ignorant that he served a "lord."
Loveland did not feel that he needed cheap advertisement. It would soon
leak out that he was a personage, and, sure enough, it did. When he had
discreetly explained to the purser his possession of Mr. VanderPot's
cabin, the news of the change went round from steward to steward, and
was promptly "spotted" as a tit-bit by the greatest gossip on the ship,
who happened to inhabit the stateroom opposite.
Major Cadwallader Hunter (a retired major, of course; he would not have
had time to develop his qualities while on the active list) was told
that he had Loveland for a neighbour, and looked at the cabin door with
kindling interest. Being himself, he had studied the passenger list, as
a collector of antiques is wont to study the announcements of sales. He
could have rattled off by heart all the names worth rattling, and he was
certain that Lord Loveland's had not been among them.
Major Cadwallader Hunter was an American of a type laughed at by the
best of his own countrymen. He knew his Burke and Debrett better than
many an Englishman even of that middle class which can afford to be
ignorant of no detail concerning the aristocracy. He was aware that
there existed a Marquis of Loveland who was young and unmarried; he knew
all about his family connections, and he wondered how such an important
gentleman had strayed on board the Mauretania unheralded. "I suppose
this fellow must be the Loveland, of course," he said to himself.
"But why not be published frankly on the passenger list? Can there be a
secret?"
At this moment Loveland walked out from his stateroom, having come below
for pipe and tobacco-pouch. He caught Major Cadwallader Hunter staring
at his door, and gave him a brief yet supercilious glance. To some men