shall forget your
words. It was only a dream--a dream that is dead. We can be nothing to
each other."

I knew in my heart that she was right, but the sight of her beauty, the
memory of her confession, put me in a rebellious mood. I drank what was
left of the brandy, and rose dizzily to my feet.

"I will not give you up," I said in a dogged tone. "You love me, Flora,
and you are mine. Providence saved us for a purpose--to make us happy."

She shook her head sadly.

"Denzil, why will you make is so hard for me?" she replied. "I must keep
my promise--you know that. Be brave, be honorable. Forget what has
happened!"

The appeal shamed me, and I averted my eyes from her. In my wretchedness
I felt tempted to throw myself into the sea.

"Where are the rest?" she asked in a different voice.

"I fear they are all drowned," I answered gloomily. "Fate has been less
kind to us."

"Do you know where we are?" she continued.

"Not exactly," I said, looking about, "but we can't be a great distance
from Fort York--and from Griffith Hawke."

I was sorry for the cutting words as soon as they were spoken, and I
would have made a fitting apology. But just then I heard voices, and two
voyageurs, in the blue capotes of the Hudson Bay Company, came out of
the timber about twenty yards off. They saw us at once and ran toward us
with eager shouts.

CHAPTER XI.

A COPY OF "THE TIMES."

I was both glad and sorry for the interruption. In our forlorn condition
we needed assistance badly enough, but I would have preferred to have
Flora all to myself for some time longer. However, I made the best of
it, and gave the voyageurs a warm greeting. They were from Fort York,
and they told me that they and half a dozen more had been on a week's
hunting trip, and that they had spent the night in a sheltered spot near
by. They added that when they were about starting for the fort, half an
hour previously, two survivors of the wreck had straggled into their
camp.

This was pleasing news, but before I could glean any further
information, the rest of the party made their appearance from the
timber--three more voyageurs and three of the company's Indian hunters.
And with them, to my great delight, were Captain Rudstone and Baptiste.
Both walked with difficulty and were sorely bruised. It seems they had
come ashore clinging to the jolly-boat--the rest of the crew were
drowned--and had