ped Watson's hand and shook it warmly, but
at once discerned from the expression on the old man's kindly face that
there was something wrong. Before he could frame a question, however,
Watson blurted out that he had bad news.

"Anything the matter with Miss Maynard or her father," he asked quietly.

"The old gentleman has had a paralytic seizure; but it's not him I had
in my mind." Then he hesitated.

"Go on, man, what is it?"

"The girl is married--married Colonel Maclean about two months ago."

Barry's face paled under its bronze, but he said nothing for a few
moments. Then he motioned his friend to a seat.

"Sit down, Watson," he said quietly; "it is bad news for me, and news I
never dreamt of hearing. Tell me all about it. Steward, bring us
something to drink."

The red-faced old mate looked at him with a certain admiring sympathy,
then he laid his hand on his shoulder.

"You're one of the right sort. Now I'll tell you the yarn, but first
of all she gave me a letter for you. Here it is."

The captain of the _Mahina_ took it from him, opened it, and read it
with an unmoved countenance. Then without a word of comment he passed
it over to Watson; it contained but a few lines:--

"DEAR TED,--Try to forgive me. Perhaps in after years I will try to
forgive myself. I could not bear to see my father suffer. Weak and
unstable as water as I am in some things, my duty and affection for him
conquered my love for you.--ROSE."

Lighting a cigar, he leant back in his chair and listened to Watson's
story. When it was finished he got up and held out his hand.

"Thank you, Watson, for all you tried to do for me. It's a bitter pill
to swallow, but I'll get over it in time, like everything else."

Watson could not refrain from a sigh of relief. He had feared that
Barry would cut up roughly.

"That is so," he said, "but it's a hard knock for you. Now I've lots
of other news for you. First of all I got your letters from Arrecifos
safely. The _John and Pauline_ whaler put them ashore at Levuka, and I
can tell you I went to bed with a bad head that night."

"What did you do with Miss Maynard's--I beg her pardon--Mrs. Colonel
Maclean's letter?"

"Posted it to her, and this is what I got in reply," and he showed him
the note he had exhibited to his friend Tom Craig.

Barry read it with a smile of contempt. "What's the other news,
Watson?"

"Ah, now I have something that will astonish you. Rawlings