he girl during the voyage, or he would have robbed her; but I am afraid
he saw her withdraw the packet from her bosom. I made her put it back at
once."

"He was standing near us on the quay for some time," said I, "does he
know who you are?"

"It is quite likely! Hang it all, Mr. Carew, I don't like the look of
things! I'm going to do a little spying about the town on my own
account; but, first it is important that I should see Miss Hatherton."

I did not relish the idea of disturbing the girl so soon after her
arrival, and I was about to say as much. But just then appeared Madame
Ragoul with a request that my companion would accord an interview to
Miss Hatherton. He departed with alacrity, and I took it with an ill
grace that I should be left out of the matter. I waited for a long time,
seeking consolation in the thought that I alone would be the girl's
protector in future, and at length Captain Rudstone returned.

"I have the dispatches," he announced, tapping his breast.

"You were an hour about it," said I petulantly.

"Oh, ho!" he laughed; "so the wind blows from that quarter! But I am no
lady's man, Mr. Carew. And Miss Hatherton is not for either of us, rare
beauty though she is--ay, and a girl of pluck and spirit. She is bound
by a sacred promise--a promise to the dead--to marry that old fossil,
Griffith Hawke. I knew him seven years ago. A fine husband indeed for
such a maid!"

The captain's foolish insinuation angered me, and I felt myself blushing
furiously, but I said nothing.

"It is a sad story," he went on. "I persuaded the girl to give me her
confidence. It seems that her father, a gentleman of good family, was a
friend of Lord Selkirk. Some months ago he lost every shilling he had in
the world through unwise speculation, and the shock killed him. On his
deathbed he sent for Selkirk, and begged him to care for his daughter,
who would be left quite alone in the world. The old rascal persuaded the
father that the girl could not do better than go out to the Canadas and
marry the factor of Fort Royal--he had received Hawke's application for
a wife at about this time. The result was that Flora yielded and
consented--I daresay there was no way out of it--and Selkirk took
advantage of the opportunity to send these important letters with her;
he knew she was the last person that would be suspected of having them.
This much may be put in Selkirk's favor: he visited Canada some years
ago, and took a fancy