ou
shall suffer; my generous father promised me this. Be mine. The only
objection Colonel Armytage urged against me no longer exists. Let us
afford a home to those whom it will be our duty to cherish and console."

Colonel Armytage, who had through all the proceedings maintained as calm
and dignified a deportment as he could command, overheard the words, and
stepping forward said, "Captain Morton, or I should rather say, Captain
Brindister--for I fully believe that name is yours--you have acted nobly
and generously; you have taught me to think better of the world than I
was inclined to do. My daughter's hand is your's as her heart is
already, and may she prove as good a wife to you as her mother has to
me, and may her lot be far happier. I will use all my influence to
persuade Sir Marcus not to oppose your father's claims, and I trust that
the act he so long ago committed may not be bruited abroad to bring
discredit on the family."

"After all, colonel, you are a wiser man than I took you for," said
Lawrence, resuming again his former and usual extravagant manner. "Blow
the wind as it may, you always sail before it, and you keep your hat
ready to bow to the rising star. That's the way of the world, and what
can a poor fool like me do but approve it. But what care I now how the
world wags!--`The prince has got his am again--his ain again!' Said I
not the truth when I sang that song!"

CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT.

THE PRIEST GOES IN SEARCH OF HERNAN--THE "SCORPION" ENGAGES A FRENCH
SHIP--THE VICTOR'S RETURN.

As the "Scorpion" required her rigging set up, Ronald had a good excuse
for remaining in Eastling Sound longer than he might otherwise have
done. He came on shore every day; and his first lieutenant, Mr Glover,
was wonderfully fertile in excuses for coming also, as soon as the
duties of the ship would allow him. It was remarked that when he came
Donna Julia took the opportunity of leaving her father's room, except
when he went in to visit the old man. At last Ronald taxed him with the
singularity of his proceedings.

"The fact is, Captain Morton, that she is a sweetly pretty, good girl,"
he answered; "and as, instead of being an heiress and a marchioness, she
is likely to be penniless, I've made up my mind to splice her, if she
will have me, as I couldn't otherwise look after her properly when her
old father slips his cable, which he may do any day."

Ronald advised him to make his offer forthwith,