ask you a question?'

"'Certainly,' I said. 'I reserve the discretion of answering.'

"'Of course. Your words look like a rebuke of the attitude I have taken
towards this subject. Is it proper for me to ask, whether you have any
foundation for them beyond your general knowledge of human nature and
your good will towards me? I mean--whether you, as a friend, see any
ground of hope for me?'

"'If you were going to stay in England,' I said, 'I would answer no
such question. Every man must make his own observations and run his own
risk. But these circumstances are different. And appealed to as a
friend--and answering on my own observations simply--I should say, that
I think your case not hopeless.'

"I could see the colour rise in his cheek; but he sat quite still and
did not speak, till it faded again.

"'I have never heard a word on the subject,' I told him. 'I do not say
I am certain of anything. I may mistake. Only, seeing you are going to
the other end of the world, without the chance of finding out anything
for yourself, I think it fair to tell you what, as a woman, I should
judge of the case.'

"'Why do you tell me?' he said quickly.

"'I am but answering your question. You must judge whether the answer
is worth anything.'

"He half laughed again, at himself; at least I could see the beginning
of a smile; but he was too terribly in earnest to be anything but
serious. He sat silent; got up and fidgetted round the room; then came
and stood by the chimney piece looking down at me.

"'Mrs. Caxton,' he said, 'I am going to venture to ask something from
you--to fulfil a contingent commission. When I am gone, if Miss Powle
returns to you, or when you have otherwise opportunity,--will you, if
you can, find out the truth of her feeling on these subjects, which I
have failed to find out? You tempt me beyond my power of
self-abnegation.'

"'What shall I do with the truth, if I find it, Mr. Rhys?'

"'In that case,' he said,--'if it is as you suppose it possible it may
be, though I dare not and do not hope it;--if it be so, then you may
tell her all I have confessed to you to-night.'

"'Why?'

"'You are uncommonly practical to-night,' he said. 'I could have but
one motive in discovering it to her.'

"'To ask her to follow you to Fiji?'

"'I dare not put it in words. I do not believe the chance will ever
come. But I am unable to go and leave the chance changed into an
impossibility.'

"'We are talking of wha