so; but that's what I made out to be her mind from what she
said between us two like.'

'But what message did she send to me? For I suppose she sent you to
meet me to-day.'

Then I saw that I should have to be very careful. So to get a little
time I says, 'I don't quite like to tell you, Mr. Halibut, what she
said.'

'Out with it,' says he. 'Don't be a fool, girl!'

'Well, then,' I says, 'if it must be so, her words were these: "Tell
Jack," she says, "that I shall ever wish him well for the sake of
what's past, but all's over betwixt him and me, and--"'

'And what,' says he.

'There wasn't much besides,' says I.

'Good God, don't be such an idiot!' and he looked as if he could
have shaken me.

'Well, then, if you must have it,' says I, 'she says, "Tell Jack
there's at least one girl I know of as would make him a better wife
than I should, and has been thinking of him steady and faithful
these three years, while I've been giving my mind to far other
things."'

'Confound her!' says he, 'little witch. And who is this other girl
that she's so gracious to hand me over to?'

'I don't want to say no more,' says I. 'I'm going now, Mr. Halibut.
Good-bye.'

For well I knew he wouldn't let me go at that.

'Tell me who it is,' says he. 'What! she's not content with giving
me the mitten herself, but she must insult me and this poor girl
too, who's got more sense than she has. Good Heavens, it would serve
her right if I took her at her word, and took the other girl back
with me.'

He was walking up and down with his hands in his pockets, frowning
like a July thunderstorm.

'Wicked, heartless little--but there, thank God! all women aren't
like her. Who's this girl that she's tried to set me against?'

'I can't tell you,' says I.

'Oh! can't you, my girl? But you shall.'

And he catches hold of both my wrists in his hands.

'Leave me go!' I cried, 'you're hurting me.'

'Who is it?'

I was looking down my nose very straight, but when he said that, I
just lifted my eyes up and looked at him, and dropped them.

I've always practised looking like what I meant, or what I wanted
people to think I meant--sort of matching your looks and words, like
you match ribbon and a bit of stuff.

'So you're the girl, are you?' he cries. 'And she thought to put you
to shame before me with her messages? Look here, I'm well off. I'm
going to Liverpool to-night, and back to America next week. I want
to take a wife with me, and