arshaled. She gave up, and admitted that she did
care for Captain Josiah, very much.

"Then, he'll come back, have no fear. A twenty-mule team couldn't keep
him away."

"What good will it be if he does come back, if he ain't got his
senses?"

"In my opinion he was never more sane than he is to-night. He has not
taken leave of his senses; he is not a man so easily dethroned. He has
merely taken a leave of absence from town, and all his five senses have
gone with him."

After Miss Pipkin had gone to her room somewhat comforted, Mr. McGowan
spied the yellow piece of paper which the Captain had dropped. He
stooped down, picked it up, smoothed the crumpled page, and began to
read. His eyes widened with each additional line.

"Jim and I are going into partnership over here in Sydney. It
isn't just what I'd like, but there are certain advantages. He
is a keen fellow, and I'll have to watch him pretty close. There
is an older man who has taken us into his firm, so Jim can't
have his own way. There is loads of money here, and I mean to
get my share of it.

"Jim and I are both fighting for the same girl. She is the
daughter of the old man who heads up the firm. May the best man
win, providing I'm the best man. I'll give him some run for his
money, anyway. I think I'm on the inside track for the present.

"I guess you'd better not say anything about Jim being over
here. He isn't using his own name, and says he wants it kept a
dead secret. Just what his game is, I don't know. But there are
lots just like him who are hiding behind assumed names.

"I'm too harum-scarum a sailor for a quiet home-loving woman
like you, so just forget me. Be good to----"

Here the page ended, and the remainder of the letter was in Miss
Pipkin's trunk.

Before he had finished reading, the chug-chug from the Captain's
power-boat floated in from the harbor, and the minister longed to be
with him.

CHAPTER XIV

Elizabeth Fox was sitting alone in her room when the familiar chug from
the exhaust of the _Jennie P._ fell on her ears. She raised her
window-curtain, and watched the dim lights move out of the harbor in the
direction of the Sound. An unreasoning fear seized her, and it steadily
grew more and more acute as the exhaust from the engine exploded less
and less distinctly. As the lights went out of view into the rain-soaked
night, resentment replaced fear. The minist