onishment.

"There would be no object in denying that such was the case," answered
the priest. "I was in Shetland rather more than twenty years ago, and I
was then known as Father Mendez. I am at present called Father John."

"I thought so," observed Rolf, bluntly. "You'll understand me, sir--I
am but a rough seaman, and all I want is fair play. You and I were
present at the marriage of that unhappy lady of Lunnasting Castle. We
are the only surviving witnesses, besides Pedro Alvarez, and where he is
to be found no one knows. What I ask you is, to help me to see her
righted, and to find her lost son. Now that England and Spain are
friends again, her son may be discovered with less difficulty than
before; when discovered, assist in enabling him to regain his father's
property in Spain, which was, if I remember rightly, at once taken
possession of by his relative, who, from the accounts received in
Shetland, was a very great rogue; the Marquis of Medea he was called. I
am not wrong, I fancy."

Father Mendez rapidly thought over the state of the case. The marquis
had certainly supported him during the misfortunes which their country
had suffered by the French invasion, but he had been anything but a
generous patron, and it occurred to him that he might make a far better
bargain with the rightful heir, if he could be found; and he believed
that Rolf Morton, notwithstanding what he said, had the clue to his
discovery, if he did not already know where to place his hand on him.
When therefore, Rolf, feeling that he might have been too abrupt and
uncourteous in the way he had addressed him, apologised for his
roughness, the priest answered blandly--

"Do not concern yourself, my friend, on that account. We are old
acquaintance. I have good reason to remember your sterling qualities,
which far outweigh all others, and I own that it would be with great
satisfaction that I found you looked upon me as a friend. I love
justice as much as you do, and most anxious I am to attain it for the
son of my old and esteemed friend, Don Hernan. Tell me how I can assist
you, and I promise you all the aid I can afford."

Rolf Morton was not so completely deceived by this speech as the priest
might have supposed. He, however, thanked him, and rejoined Ronald in
his quarter-deck walk, which they had to themselves, as the captain and
most of the officers had, gone below.

Very great was Rolf's surprise when he found that the dig