ildered! Has anything happened?" he
asked.

"Yes, indeed," laughed Harry, who had no secrets with Headland. "I have
made a discovery. I have seen such a lovely girl. I wanted to point
her out to you and Julia, but I could not find you. I went a second
time myself to be satisfied that I had not gazed at her with
rose-coloured spectacles, but I found that she was even superior, if
possible, to what she at first appeared. I am romantic, you know, but I
tell you she is perfectly charming."

"Who is she?" asked Headland.

"Only a fisherman's daughter, but she is living with my cousins, and,
from what I understand, has been educated by them, though they certainly
could not have given her the graceful manner and sweet tone of voice so
remarkable in her had she not possessed them naturally."

"My dear Harry, charming as she may be do not lose your heart to her, or
attempt to win hers in return, if she is of the parentage you tell me,
for although I have no right to lay any stress on the point of birth,
yet I am very sure that others will, and you may be entangled in a way
which will produce much suffering, and may be painful to her as well as
to you."

"I have been thinking of that," answered Harry, "and if she were only an
ordinarily pretty girl I would at once put up my helm and run away from
her; but she is so perfectly lovely that I feel capable of overcoming
every possible objection, could I win her."

"Perhaps when you see her again you may discover some slight defects
which were not discernible at your first interview," observed Headland,
smiling. "Did I not think this very possible I would advise you not to
call at your cousins as you propose. Otherwise I should certainly say,
keep out of her way. I know you too well not to feel sure that you
would not wish to win her love without feeling sure that you could make
her your wife."

"I should be a wretch indeed if I wished otherwise," said Harry. "If
you saw her perhaps you would agree with me that she is the essence of
all that is pure and modest, and I could not approach her with any other
thought in my mind."

"For that very reason, Harry, I would advise you simply to pay your
cousins the visit you propose, and then keep away from Downside till you
are about to join another ship."

"At all events I will go there to-morrow," said Harry. "If I find that
I am mistaken there can be no harm done; but I am not blind, and I am
too well accustomed to ladi