had passed by, that Brian Luttrell got
any clue to the kind of burden that was weighing upon Heron's mind.

The day had been fiercely hot, but the night was cool, and Brian had
half-closed the door through which the sea-breeze was blowing, and the
light of the stars shone down. He and Percival continued to share this
hut (the other being tenanted by the three seamen), and Brian was
sitting on the ground, stirring up a compound of cocoa-nut milk, eggs
and brandy, with which he meant to provide Percival for supper. Percival
lay, as usual, on his couch, watching his movements by the starlight.
When the draught had been swallowed, Heron said:--

"Don't go to sleep yet. I wish you would sit down here. I want to say
something."

Brian complied, and Percival went on in his usual abrupt fashion.

"You know I rather thought I should not get better."

"I know."

"It might have been more convenient if I had not. Did you never feel
so?"

"No, never."

"If I had been buried on the Rocas Reef," said Percival, with biting
emphasis, "you would have kept your promise, gone back to England,
and--married Elizabeth."

"I never considered that possibility," answered Brian, with perfect
quietness and some coldness.

"Then you're a better fellow than I am. Look here," said Percival, with
vehemence, "in your place I could not have nursed a man through an
illness as you have done. The temptation would have been too strong: I
should have killed him."

"I am sure you would have done nothing of the kind, Heron. You are
incapable of treachery."

"You won't say so when you know all that I am going to tell you. Prepare
your mind for deeds of villainy," said Percival, rallying his forces and
trying to laugh; "for I am going to shock your virtuous ear. It's been
on my mind ever since I was taken ill; and I was so afraid that I should
let it out when I was light-headed, that, as you know, I asked you not
to stay with me."

"Don't tell me now: I'll take it on trust. Any time will do," said
Brian, shrinking a little from the allusion to his own story that he
knew would follow.

"No time like the present," responded Heron, obstinately. "I've been a
pig-headed brute; that's the chief thing. Now, don't interrupt,
Luttrell. Miss Murray, you know, was engaged to me when you first saw
her."

"Yes, but I didn't know it!" said Brian, with vehemence almost equal to
Percival's own.

"Of course you didn't. I understand all that. It was the mo