me a total wreck, sinking
at last in deep water; and thus Cardo's letter never reached Valmai.

Its transmission, however, relieved him of much of the uneasiness which
had hung over him, and his usual cheerfulness returned in a great
measure.

Meanwhile, Valmai hoped and longed for the promised letter.

"Why does he not write, I wonder?" was the question continually
uppermost in her thoughts.

The voyage of the _Burrawalla_ was, on the whole, prosperous, although,
towards the end, she was much delayed by adverse winds, so that Sydney
harbour was not reached until the end of the fourth month. A further
and unexpected delay arose from the illness of a passenger who occupied
a berth in Cardo's cabin, and as they were nearing their destination he
died of typhoid fever. Consequently the _Burrawalla_ was put into
quarantine, of course to the great annoyance and inconvenience of all
on board.

"You are not looking well, Mr. Wynne," said the doctor one day.

"Oh, I'm alright," said Cardo, "only impatient to get on shore. I feel
perfectly well. Why, my dear doctor, I have never had a day's illness
in my life, as far as I can remember."

"I can believe that," said the doctor; "and what a splendid sailor you
have been. But still, let me know if you are not feeling well."

It was quite true that Cardo had latterly experienced some sensations
to which he had hitherto been a stranger--frequent headaches and loss
of appetite; but, being of a very hardy temperament, he tried to ignore
the unpleasant symptoms, and waited for the end of the quarantine with
feverish impatience.

When at last they were allowed to land, he was amongst the liveliest
and most energetic of the passengers.

He drove at once to the Wolfington Hotel, to which he had been
recommended by Captain Owen. As he stepped out of the cab, the portico
of the hotel seemed strangely at loggerheads with the rest of the
building, He managed, however, to get safely inside the hall, and,
after engaging a bedroom, followed his conductor up the stairs, though
each step seemed to rise to meet his foot in an unaccountable manner.

"A long sea voyage doesn't suit me, that's certain," he soliloquised,
as he entered the room and busied himself at once with his luggage. He
took off the labels with the intention of substituting fresh ones
addressed to his uncle's farm, deciding not to stay a day longer than
was necessary in Sydney, but to make inquiries at once as to t