We had
possession of her decks before they could seize their arms, and I
brought her out without any one knowing that she had been captured. On
my arrival, the admiral gave me the command of her, which I have held
for nine months; but she is very defective, and I was ordered home, and
should have sailed, had it not been that that scoundrel, the captain of
the Transcendant, gave me the information which induced me to come round
to the back of the island. Little did I think what happiness awaited
me. So much for myself. Do not think me an egotist for speaking of
myself, I am only clearing away the less important information to arrive
at that which most interests you. The Amy arrived safe with her
valuable cargo. The captain reported that he had remained at the
rendezvous until blown off by a sort of hurricane, and that, finding
himself a long way off, he considered, when the gale had ceased, that he
was not justified in remaining with so valuable a cargo, but was bound
to make the best of his way to Liverpool. He was right, and his conduct
was approved of by Mr Trevannion, who looked for your arrival every
hour. At last a week passed away and you did not make your appearance,
and great alarm was entertained for your safety. The weeks grew into
months, and it was supposed that you had been upset in the same
hurricane which had driven the Amy so far off from her rendezvous. The
poor girl Whyna was, as you may suppose, kindly received by Mr
Trevannion and his daughter, and soon gained their affection; but she
pined for your return, and when she was told that you were dead she
never recovered it. The climate certainly did not agree with her, and
she contracted a very bad cough during the winter, but I believe from my
heart that it was your loss which affected her the most severely. After
she had been about eighteen months in England, she fell into a
consumption and died."

"Poor Whyna!" said I, with a sigh.

"Alexander," said Philip, "perhaps it was all for the best, for that
poor girl loved you sincerely, and, supposing that she was now still
alive and living with Miss Trevannion, and on your return your marriage
should (which, of course, unless Heaven decrees otherwise, it will) take
place, that poor creature would have been very unhappy; and although the
idea of her being a rival to Miss Trevannion is something which may
appear absurd to us, yet she had the same feelings, and must have
endured the same pangs