, and dances were therefore
much in vogue. Consequently naval officers were always welcome,
lieutenants and passed midshipmen were acceptable, but young commanders
were treated with especial favour. A more experienced man than Pearce
might have had his head turned with the attentions he received. While,
however, he was grateful for them, he enjoyed to the full the society in
which he found himself, and became neither conceited nor vain. He had
also the opportunity of comparing Alice Verner with other girls, and he
became more than ever convinced of her superiority to them all. His
stay at Halifax was likely to be short. He naturally wished to spend as
much of his time as possible in her society. She invariably received
him so frankly and cordially that all restraint was thrown aside. He
felt almost sure that she loved him; so he took her hand and told her
how much he loved her, and that he believed he had made enough
prize-money already to enable her to live as she had been accustomed to;
that he hoped to make more, and that, he had good reason to believe he
should before long be a post-captain, when he should be her father's
equal in rank. Alice was not very much surprised nor agitated, because
she was before sure that he loved her. Still it was very pleasant to
hear him say so. Pearce also felt supremely happy, and did not for a
moment contemplate the clouds and storms which might be ahead. Alice
herself might possibly have seen difficulties which he did not. She
loved her father, but she knew that he was a proud man and weak on
certain points, and that few men thought more of family and connections.
It had always surprised her that he had not inquired more particularly
about Pearce's parentage, but she concluded that he was acquainted with
the circumstances of the case, and was satisfied. It was, at all
events, her duty to tell her father that Captain Ripley had declared
himself. Pearce was to dine with them that day. In the meantime he had
to go on board. He returned some time before the dinner hour. Colonel
Verner had not come in, so that Alice had not had an opportunity of
speaking to her father. Pearce told her that a frigate had arrived that
morning direct from England. Everybody was eager to hear the news she
brought. Probably that kept the colonel from home. While seated
together, and interested more in themselves than in the world at large,
the door was suddenly opened, and Lieutenant Harr