lking for some time in a low tone of voice, so as not to
interrupt the others. In a desultory way, they had thus chatted about
all sorts of things and had at last lapsed into silence--a silence that
remained for some time unbroken.

At length Frank spoke.

By a strong effort, he at once went to the point

"Kate," said he suddenly, in a voice rendered so thick by emotion that
she could not help starting, although she made no reply.

"Kate, do you remember you promised to call me `Frank' that night on the
wreck when we expected every moment that the _Nancy Bell_ would go down
with us and every soul aboard?"

"Ye-es," she murmured, very softly and in a hesitating way.

"Well, I want you to call me always so--that is to have the right--you
know what I mean."

Her tender blue eyes were raised to his inquiringly.

"I love you," he cried passionately, "and I want you to promise--"

"Hush!" said she, putting her hand over his lips; but he only kissed the
hand, and went on with what he was about to say when she had interrupted
him.

"I want you, Kate, my darling, to promise to be my wife!" he said. "I
love you more than I can tell--I have loved you since ever I first saw
you--and I shall love you till my dying day; will you promise, Kate, to
be my wife? but, if you can't yet do all I ask, will you try to love me
a little? Oh, Kate, I do love you so dearly!"

Her head bent lower and lower, so that he had to bend his too in order
to see what her face said, for she would not speak; and, as the
firelight danced upon the dear face and lightened up the blue eyes which
so shyly looked into his, Frank seemed to read an answer there that was
favourable to his hopes, for he passed his arm round her waist without
another moment's hesitation, and ventured to imprint a kiss upon her
lips.

"My darling, my darling!" he murmured in an ecstasy of joy; but just
then Mr Meldrum raised his head from between his clasped hands and
looked at the pair.

He evidently realised what had happened, and, as evidently, he was not
taken by surprise at the event. Nor, indeed, would anyone else have
been in the whole community; for Frank's love to Kate had been as
palpable to all as the famed ostrich of the story was when it hid its
head in the sand and imagined itself invisible to its pursuers!

"My children," said he kindly, coming over to them and holding out his
hand to Frank, who at once grasped it, "I expected this; and I cannot
say