Mosquito coast for which we were bound.
Having stayed there to refresh, seven days,
and having been much commended, and highly
spoken of, and finely entertained, we Marines
stood under orders to march from the Town-
Gate (it was neither much of a town nor
much of a gate), at five in the morning.

My officer had joined us before then.
When we turned out at the gate, all the
people were there; in the front of them all
those who had been our fellow-prisoners, and
all the seamen.

"Davis," says Lieutenant Linderwood.
"Stand out, my friend!"

I stood out from the ranks, and Miss
Maryon and Captain Carton came up to me.

"Dear Davis," says Miss Maryon, while
the tears fell fast down her face, "your
grateful friends, in most unwillingly taking
leave of you, ask the favour that, while you
bear away with you their affectionate
remembrance which nothing can ever impair, you
will also take this purse of money—far more
valuable to you, we all know, for the deep
attachment and thankfulness with which it is
offered, than for its own contents, though we
hope those may prove useful to you, too, in
after life."

I got out, in answer, that I thankfully
accepted the attachment and affection, but
not the money. Captain Carton looked at me
very attentively, and stepped back, and moved
away. I made him my bow as he stepped
back, to thank him for being so delicate.

"No, miss," said I, "I think it would
break my heart to accept of money. But, if
you could condescend to give to a man so
ignorant and common as myself, any little thing
you have worn—such as a bit of ribbon—"

She took a ring from her finger, and put it
in my hand. And she rested her hand in
mine, while she said these words:

"The brave gentlemen of old—but not one
of them was braver, or had a nobler nature
than you—took such gifts from ladies, and
did all their good actions for the givers' sakes.
If you will do yours for mine, I shall think
with pride that I continue to have some share
in the life of a gallant and generous man."

For the second time in my life, she kissed
my hand. I made so bold, for the first time,
as to kiss hers; and I tied the ring at my
breast, and I fell back to my place.

Then, the horse-litter went out at the gate,
with Serjeant Drooce in it; and the horse-
litter went out at the gate with Mrs. Belltott
in it; and Lieutenant Linderwood gave the
word of command, "Quick march!" and,
cheered and cried for, we went out of the
gate too, marching along the level plain
towards the serene blue sky as if we were
marching straight to Heaven.

When I have added here that the Pirate
scheme was blown to shivers, by the Pirate-
ship which had the Treasure on board being so
vigorously attacked by one of His Majesty's
cruisers, among the West India Keys, and
being so swiftly boarded and carried, that
nobody suspected anything about the scheme
until three-fourths of the Pirates were killed,
and the other fourth were in irons, and the
Treasure was recovered; I come to the last
singular confession I have got to make.

It is this. I well knew what an immense
and hopeless distance there was between me
and Miss Maryon; I well knew that I was no
fitter company for her than I was for the angels;
I well knew that she was as high above my
reach as the sky over my head; and yet I loved
her. What put it in my low heart to be so
daring, or whether such a thing ever
happened before or since, as that a man so
uninstructed and obscure as myself got his
unhappy thoughts lifted up to such a height,
while knowing very well how presumptuous
and impossible to be realised they were, I am
unable to say; still, the suffering to me was
just as great as if I had been a gentleman.
I suffered agony—agony. I suffered hard, and
I suffered long. I thought of her last words
to me, however, and I never disgraced them.
If it had not been for those dear words, I
think I should have lost myself in despair
and recklessness.

The ring will be found lying on my heart, of
course, and will be laid with me wherever I
am laid. I am getting on in years now,
though I am able and hearty. I was
recommended for promotion, and everything was
done to reward me that could be done; but,
my total want of all learning stood in my
way, and I found myself so completely out of
the road to it, that I could not conquer any
learning, though I tried. I was long in the
service, and I respected it, and was respected
in it, and the service is dear to me at this
present hour.

At this present hour, when I give this out
to my Lady to be written down, all my old
pain has softened away, and I am as happy
as a man can be, at this present fine old
country-house of Admiral Sir George Carton,
Baronet. It was my Lady Carton who herself
sought me out, over a great many miles of
the wide world, and found me in Hospital
wounded, and brought me here. It is my
Lady Carton who writes down my words.
My Lady was Miss Maryon. And now, that
I conclude what I had to tell, I see my Lady's
honored grey hair droop over her face, as she
leans a little lower at her desk; and I
fervently thank her for being so tender as I
see she is, towards the past pain and trouble
of her poor, old, faithful, humble soldier.

THE END OF THE CHRISTMAS NUMBER FOR 1857.