enting
Harry from marrying the girl, and you will lose the advantage I have
offered," answered the baronet.

"We at all events shall have the consciousness of having acted rightly,"
observed Miss Jane.

Sir Ralph, who was courteous under all circumstances, rose as he spoke,
and gracefully putting out his hand, bowed low and quitted the room.

"Abominable," exclaimed Miss Jane, "he must have formed a strange
opinion of us."

"He holds, I fear, a low opinion of his fellow-creatures generally,"
said Miss Mary, "and the sooner we try to forget what he has said, the
better."

The ladies agreed not to let May know of Sir Ralph's insulting offer as
they justly considered it. Miss Jane's only fear was, that he might,
under the belief that she would be induced to consent, make it to May
herself. She determined to be on the watch to prevent him, if possible,
from doing so.

He did not, however, again appear at Downside. The great event which
occurred to break the monotony of their lives was the arrival of a
packet from the East containing Harry's enclosure to May. With what
eagerness and delight she read it, what pleasure she felt in being able
to give one from Jacob to the dame. May's heart throbbed as she read
Harry's account of the capture of the French ship. Her woman's heart
was gratified too, when he told her how completely he had loved her for
herself alone, and that he had only just discovered that she was not, as
he had supposed, a fisherman's daughter, but might some day be found to
be as well-born as himself.

"I cannot help hoping that such will prove to be the case, and then the
only bar to our happiness will be removed, dearest May," he wrote.
Other letters came describing the voyage of the _Thisbe_ through the
Indian Seas, and then month after month passed by and no more were
received. The roses began to fade from May's cheeks, even the Miss
Pembertons became anxious. Neither had Julia nor any of his family
heard from him.

Julia told them that Sir Ralph had obtained permission for Harry to
return home, and that possibly being on his voyage he had thought it
unnecessary to write; but this would not account for the long interval
between his last letter and the time when he could have received the
Admiralty's orders.

Whenever Julia went to Downside, she had to give the same answer--"no
news from Harry."

Sir Ralph himself had become anxious, and made frequent visits to the
Admiralty to hear wh