"No more," she said, with a firm smile, "than
you have to construct those reflectors of yours.
Even my enemy here, Captain Magregor,
wouldn't resort to that."

The captain was moody.

"You should say, ma'am, a captain of a
Queen's ship; which, thank God, this is not.
We have our own ways here; we don't want to
take pattern by Queen's ships. A Queen's ship,
ma'am, I can tell you, would not stop as I was
fool enough to do the other night."

"No, indeed," said she, softly; "such kindness
could not be expected every day."

"It must have been very perilous," continued
the barrister, addressing her, "that coming on
board in an open boat on a rough night. It
required great courage," he said, looking round
with a smile, "or great pressure and
necessity. From Gravesend, I think you said,"
he repeated.

"Suppose it were Gravesend," she answered,
with a smile which was not a smile of pleasure.
"Would you like to hear," she went on, calmly,
"my birthplace, names of relations, age next
birthday, and other particulars according to a
census paper?"

The barrister put up his hands to his face.

"Serve me right," he said; "a capital hit
well sent home, too."

"Ah!" said she, laughing, "I wish to hit
nobody, provided they do not hit me."

"At any rate," said the barrister, "I have
got a lesson."

But I don't think he had. For at tea that
night he came up to the table laughing.
"Look here," he said, "I am incorrigible.
I belong to the law. So that is my excuse.
You know the challenge you gave me about a
census paper? Well, I have been working my
head ever since, as I should do at a brief for the
Vice-Chancellor to-morrow morning. May I tell
you what I have found, provided I tell you how?"

The faintest flush of uneasiness passed over
that piquant face, but she hid it by setting back
the little cap. "Do as you please," she said,
with a smile. "You know I am helpless.
Captain Magregor here, who I thought would
be my protector, is turned against me; so
everybody is privileged."

"No, no," said he, vaguely. "It is you who
went against me about the Queen's ship."

"The dirtiest, ugliest thing that ever sailed,"
she said; "badly managed -- badly handled, I
think you call it."

"Yes," said he, "that's the word. Not kept
so clean as this, I'll swear."

"No, no, indeed," she said.

"Well, that's something," he said. "Now,
what are this gentleman's discoveries?"

"First," said Mr. Colter, "you are married,
madam, or were married, and your husband's
name is Charles H. Arlington -- a captain in her
Majesty's 90th Regiment of Foot, now stationed
at Chatham."

She almost started out of her seat, a strange
wildness came into her eyes, with a dash of
fury, as she bent over to the barrister.

"What do you mean?" she said, in a thick
voice. Every one had been listening, and now
turned to each other with surprise and wonder.
In a moment her face had changed. She had
burst into tears, and with her handkerchief to
her face, she just uttered the words, "He is
dead! how unkind!" and floated away out of
the saloon.

Many reproachful eyes were turned on the
barrister.

"Come, I say, Mr. Colter," said the captain,
who had looked after her with much compassion,
"this going is a little too far, I think. A helpless
woman is no match for a clever lawyer. It
ain't equal, you know. Poor soul!"

"'Pon my word," said the eager barrister,
"I meant nothing -- I really did not. It was
a mere chance shot. I knew her name was
Arlington. So I looked in an Army List."

The next morning when the wind had again
freshened, I went up very early upon deck.
It was a cool delicious morning, and the vessel
was bending through the waves with a sharp
breezy decision that is always very acceptable.
It was about seven, and I was sure I should
have the deck all to myself; but, to my
surprise, there was the captain leaning against
the mainmast, with a lady in a little hood
talking to him. I knew both hood and lady.
Presently they began to walk about, and the
captain pointed out this "stay" and that rope.
In all these things she seemed to take an eager
interest, and, I could see, was asking all sorts
of questions, which he answered very readily,
and with great alacrity and pleasure. Then he
came towards me and explained the compasses,
and then she went to the very end of the vessel,
where she stood up on the forecastle in the
breeze, and looked clown on the hissing waters
with more courage than, perhaps, I could have
done, and looked like a statue. I was leaning
on the side of the vessel, looking at her in this
attitude, when I heard a voice close at my ear:
"A fine morning." It was Mr. Colter, the
barrister.

"I thought we should have the deck nearly
to ourselves," he said, and walked down
towards the pair at the end. When the lady saw
him coming, she jumped down. She said nothing
to him beyond " Good morning;" but that
was said with an air of defiance.

That day the luggage "wanted on the voyage"
was to be got up -- a grand ceremonial of
unpacking for passengers, and a remarkably busy
and amusing scene. Every one got up his trunk,
and got out things which he could not or would
not want. Still it was an amusement, and even
playthings are welcome upon a voyage. Every
one was unlocking and unpacking, even the
great Chancery barrister, Mr. Colter, Q.C.

At dinner we were all in great spirits. The
captain had given champagne, which was much
enjoyed by the lady who sat near him. Her
eyes began to sparkle, and she talked very
pleasantly and with great animation. I noticed that
Captain Magregor listened with extraordinary
attention to everything she said, spoke very