hart, and was abstractedly gazing at the latter as it lay spread out
before me upon the cabin table, anxiously seeking inspiration from a
study of the coasts, islands, and harbours delineated in miniature upon
the white paper, when the young lady stepped out of her cabin and--first
assuring herself that the steward was not within hearing--came to my
side, and, laying her hand upon my shoulder, said:

"I want you to tell me what is the matter. There _is_ something very
seriously wrong, I know, for I was watching you all day yesterday, and
it was impossible for me to avoid noticing that while, when in presence
of the men you did your best to wear an unconcerned manner, the moment
that you deemed yourself free from their observation you sank into a
mood of gloomy abstraction and reverie, the meaning of which was not to
be mistaken. And this morning you look absolutely _ill_ with worry,
your forehead is seamed with wrinkles of care and anxiety, and--
positively you are turning grey about the temples."

And as she spoke these last words her fingers lightly and--as it seemed
to me--caressingly touched me on the temples. It was the first time
that she had ever done such a thing, and her touch thrilled me through
as with an electric shock, moving me to such an extent that I lost my
self-control, and forthwith behaved with the recklessness of a madman.
I seized her hand, threw my arm about her waist, and, drawing her to me,
kissed her on the lips.

"It is your own fault," I exclaimed wildly; "you should not have touched
me so tenderly and caressingly. I love you, I tell you; I love you
beyond all power of speech to describe, and I have been upon the point
of telling you so over and over again, but have been deterred by the
knowledge that, unless you can return my love--which you have never
given me any reason to suppose is the case--such a confession on my part
must necessarily render your situation infinitely more embarrassing than
it is now. And hitherto I have contrived to remain master of myself;
but when you touched my temples just now--"

"Poor fellow," she interrupted, astounding me by nestling in my embrace,
with flaming cheeks, but looking up at me with smiling eyes that shone
like stars, as her arm stole up and twined itself about my neck--"is it
indeed so bad as that with you? I knew, of course, that you loved me--
the symptoms were quite unmistakable--but I scarcely dreamed of your
passion being so violent a