t care.
"No, I can't say he did. But he has had another interview with Mr.
John Vyner, and it seems that the old gentleman is quite taking it for
granted that you have left Salthaven for good. He was quite genial to
your father."

"Did father undeceive him?" inquired the girl.

"He didn't say," rejoined the other. "My idea is he didn't; but it's
only my idea, mind."

For some time Miss Hartley walked on in disdainful silence. She broke it
at last in favour of Mr. Vyner, senior.

"Talking won't alter facts, though," said the admiring captain, shaking
his head.

The girl paid no heed.

"Now, if you only stayed here for a little while," said the captain,
persuasively, "say a couple of years, no doubt things would right
themselves. Anything might happen in two years. Mind, it's not your
father's idea, it's mine. I'd do anything for him; he has done me many a
good turn in his time, and I want to pay him back."

Miss Hartley, softening somewhat, thanked him.

"And what is two years at your time of life?" continued the captain,
brightly. "Nothing. Why, I'm going away for that time as a matter of
course."

"I want to go home," said Joan. "I feel that I can't breathe in this
dreary place. You wouldn't like me to die, would you?"

"Certainly not," said the captain, promptly.

"You would sooner die yourself, wouldn't you?" said Joan, with a sly
glance at him.

The captain said "Yes," with all the comfortable assurance of a healthy
man living in a civilized country. Then he started as Miss Hartley
turned suddenly and pinched his arm.

"Eh?" cried the captain, rubbing it.

"I don't want you to die for me," said Joan with a little laugh, "but
I was thinking over things the other day, and I got an idea of how
you could help me if you would. I gave it up, however. I felt sure you
wouldn't do it, but if you say you would die for me--

"When I said 'die'--" began the captain, uneasily.

"I'm not going to ask you to do anything as dreadful as that," continued
Joan; "at least, I don't think it is; but the beauty of it is it is
something you _can_ do. I am going back to Salthaven, but to make
everybody comfortable and happy I thought of going back under a new
name. That's the idea."

"New name?" repeated the puzzled captain.

Joan nodded and turned a somewhat flushed face in his direction.

"A new name," she repeated. "My father will be left undisturbed, Mr.
John Vyner will be satisfied, and Mr. Robert--"

"Yes?"