She said this with an air of defiance. A kind
of pained sort of expression came into West's
face. His sister turned to him with a look of
superior triumph. He answered, gently:

"When you know the world as well as I do,
you may change your opinion. Besides, I do not
apply this to all — to your father, or yourself, or
to any one. The reason I said that was, there
are so many chances, so many difficulties, that I
would not have you hope too much."

She paused, gave a little stamp of vexation,
and an impatient movement of her arm. "Always
the way with me. Ungracious, unkind when I
don't mean to be so. And to you, my true, dear
friend! I could beg your pardon. I would go
down here on my knees, if you like. I wouldn't
mind these creatures here; indeed I would not.
The 'raff,' indeed, as you call them. Say you
forgive me, or I'll do it this moment."

She had his hand in both hers. The sister
interposed, a little excited, for the girl seemed
about doing what she said. " Oh, really;
please don't, with all these people about. Such
folly!"

He drew his hand quietly away. " Not
exactly folly," he said, smiling; " but these
creatures would not quite understand it."

"But do you forgive me? I talk so lightly.
The English master says that I don't know the
exact force of English, and don't measure my
words. I could not find enough of them to tell
you all I feel to you, and your goodness to us,
and how much I think of you when I am
alone."

The sister turned away impetuously. " The
packet must be coming now. They are all going
to the end."

"Just look at our friend," said Mr. West,
half to himself, " seeking the stray ones of his
flock."

Now comes posting down, breaking through
the ranks, Mr. Blacker, swinging his stick,
his head looking to the right and left, and
an air as though he were carrying despatches,
or at least an officer of the port. His was a sort
of official progress, like a royal personage,
dropping a word to each. He had to stop many
times, and to return many salutes. To some
inferiors he was " short;" but there was one or
two, Mr. and Mrs. Freemantle, true people,
only there for a fortnight or a month, with
whom he could turn back, and smile, and sway
forward again, with obsequious homage. The
season was well over, and these people, coming
home from their travels, had waited at this port,
to let Mrs. Freemantle refit. She was languid
and delicate, and used an eye-glass.

"What a curious set of people!" she said,
with an amused air. " Where are they all got
from?"

"Heaven knows, Mrs. Freemantle," said Mr.
Blacker, repudiating his flock with alacrity.
"They send them to us from all quarters; some,
my dear madam, the very scourings of the street.
In our season, indeed, we do very well. The
nobility come down to us. Princesse de la Tour
Caserne is not very long gone, and the Duchesse
Florençay, who indeed did me the honour to
come to our English chapel with me, on my arm.
My dear Mrs. Freemantle, you must come back
to us next year."

The greedy settlers stood in ranks on each
side to stare. Not one of the passengers,
no matter what his sufferings at the moment,
but resented this degradation, being thus
butchered to make an English holiday. What
rusted coats; what repaired theatrical finery
and scraps of fashion, half a dozen years old;
what air of " coming on the Prado," and
simpering, and greeting, and turning round to
walk in line four long. Poor souls! After all,
this but the hour's exercise in the prison yard.
Now is coming up the packet, turning the
corner of the whitewashed piles, with the native
porters in blouses, shouting hard, and " hauling
in" as if a man-of-war was coming up. It is the
old Eagle, corpulent, bulky at its abdomen and
paddle-boxes, green all over its bulwarks, a
highly fashionable colour — then considered
a fine specimen of naval architecture. The
English are very strong on the decks. The
other English, waiting for their prey, are drawn
up in two solid lines. In the foremost rank
were Mr. West and the two ladies. They had
never been in such a place before, but there
were reasons now. The young girl was stretching
eagerly forward, her arm in his, which at
times, from excitement, she clung to. " I don't
see him. No, he's not come. Oh, what shall
we do? Why didn't he write? How cruel of
him!"

"Hush, hush!" he whispered kindly; "not
so loud. Think of the people about us. We
can't tell as yet."

"There he is! There he is!" she cried quite
loud, and making the " raff " smile. " I see
him!"

Already the stream had begun to flow — the
long file that only wanted a chain to make them
a string of convicts. They looked wretched
enough. There were the soldiers on guard,
and the gloomy prison into which they passed.
And now a tall gentleman with a very shining
hat with a " rolling" brim, and set much on
the side of his head, a jovial face, and a blue
coat with a velvet collar, and curled black
moustache, came along the gangway. He held
a little black bag in his hand, and was nodding
a great many times to his daughter as he came
along. In a second she had broken from the
line in spite of the sad-looking soldier, had her
hands on his shoulders, and had drawn him
down to her to cover him with kisses. Mr.
Harcourt Dacres protested good humouredly-.
"Oh, I declare now, Lulu — the dear girl.
Easy now. Not before the genteel people;
wait till we get home — in the front drawing-
room." Indeed, the two lines were smiling,
tittering, and laughing loudly, and the soldier put
her back. She saw her father looking round,
and heard him say, " Where's that colonel
gone? in the moon again?" Poor Lulu, now
sternly put inside the ropes, was making all
manner of affectionate motions to him. But he