ever fear, I'll go."

Getting into the cool street directly, and seeing the calm stars
shining, and the placid water sleeping with a peace in which he had
no share, he strove to cast off the nervous fear that was on him. That
interview had frightened him, for it had made him think. It was hard
that, just as he had turned over a new leaf, this old blot should
come through to the clean page. It was cruel that, having comfortably
forgotten the past, he should be thus rudely reminded of it.

CHAPTER III. THE STORY OF TWO BIRDS OF PREY.

The reader of the foregoing pages has doubtless asked himself, "what is
the link which binds together John Rex and Sarah Purfoy?"

In the year 1825 there lived at St. Heliers, Jersey, an old watchmaker,
named Urban Purfoy. He was a hard-working man, and had amassed a little
money--sufficient to give his grand-daughter an education above the
common in those days. At sixteen, Sarah Purfoy was an empty-headed,
strong-willed, precocious girl, with big brown eyes. She had a bad
opinion of her own sex, and an immense admiration for the young and
handsome members of the other. The neighbours said that she was too
high and mighty for her rank in life. Her grandfather said she was a
"beauty", and like her poor dear mother. She herself thought rather
meanly of her personal attractions, and rather highly of her mental
ones. She was brimful of vitality, with strong passions, and little
religious sentiment. She had not much respect for moral courage, for
she did not understand it; but she was a profound admirer of personal
prowess. Her distaste for the humdrum life she was leading found
expression in a rebellion against social usages. She courted notoriety
by eccentricities of dress, and was never so happy as when she was
misunderstood. She was the sort of girl of whom women say--"It is a pity
she has no mother"; and men, "It is a pity she does not get a husband";
and who say to themselves, "When shall I have a lover?" There was no
lack of beings of this latter class among the officers quartered in Fort
Royal and Fort Henry; but the female population of the island was free
and numerous, and in the embarrassment of riches, Sarah was overlooked.
Though she adored the soldiery, her first lover was a civilian. Walking
one day on the cliff, she met a young man. He was tall, well-looking,
and well-dressed. His name was Lemoine; he was the son of a somewhat
wealthy resident of the island, and had c