d romantic,
her structures were sometimes amazing edifices, at which orthodox
architects might have turned up their noses--and with some reason, too,
for poor little Ruth's castles were built frequently on bad foundations,
and sometimes even in the air, so that they too often fell in splendid
ruins at her feet!

It would not be just however, to say that none of Ruth's buildings stood
firm. Occasionally she built upon a good foundation. Now and then she
made a straight shot and hit the mark. For instance, the little edifice
of cuffs and comforters to the North Sea trawlers survived, and remains
to the present day a monument of usefulness, (which few monuments are),
and of well-placed philanthropy. It may not, perhaps, be just to say
that Ruth actually laid the foundation--conceived the first idea--of
that good work, but she was at all events among the first builders,
became an active overseer, and did much of the work with her own hands.
Still, as we have said, too many of Ruth's castles came to the ground,
and the poor thing was so well used to the sight of falling material
that she had at last begun to be quite expert in detecting the first
symptoms of dissolution, and often regarded them with despairing
anxiety. It was so with her when Captain Bream was summoned so suddenly
away from Yarmouth.

Eagerly, anxiously, had she planned to get him down to that town for the
purpose of confronting him with Mrs David Bright--the reason being
that, from various things the captain had said to her at different
times, and from various remarks that Mrs Bright had made on sundry
occasions, she felt convinced that the North Sea fisherman's wife was
none other than Captain Bream's long-lost sister!

It would be well-nigh impossible, as well as useless, to investigate the
process of reasoning and the chain of investigation, by which she came
to this conclusion, but having once laid the foundation, she began to
build on it with her wonted enthusiasm, and with a hopefulness that
partial failure could not destroy.

The captain's departure, just when she hoped to put the copestone on her
little edifice was a severe blow, for it compelled her to shut up her
hopes and fears in her own breast, and, being of a sympathetic nature,
that was difficult. But Ruth was a wise little woman as well as
sympathetic. She had sense enough to know that it might be a tremendous
disappointment to Captain Bream, if, after having had his hopes raised,