y do its worst, for Amine will
not quail. I have no recreant heart to turn aside from danger or from
suffering. In that one point, Philip, at least, you chose, you wedded
well."

Philip raised her hand to his lips in silence, and the conversation was
not resumed. The next evening, Schriften came up again to Amine.
"Well, lady?" said he.

"Schriften, it cannot be," replied Amine; "yet do I thank you much."

"Lady, if he must follow up his mission, why should you?"

"Schriften, I am his wife--as for ever, in this world, and the next.
You cannot blame me."

"No," replied Schriften, "I do not blame, I admire you. I feel sorry.
But, after all, what is death? Nothing. He! he!" and Schriften
hastened away, and left Amine to herself.

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.

The Utrecht sailed from Gambroon, touched at Ceylon, and proceeded on
her voyage in the Eastern seas. Schriften still remained on board; but
since his last conversation with Amine he had kept aloof, and appeared
to avoid both her and Philip; still there was not, as before, any
attempt to make the ship's company disaffected, nor did he indulge in
his usual taunts and sneers. The communication he had made to Amine had
also its effect upon her and Philip; they were more pensive and
thoughtful; each attempted to conceal their gloom from the other; and
when they embraced, it was with the mournful feeling that perhaps it was
an indulgence they would soon be deprived of: at the same time, they
steeled their hearts to endurance and prepared to meet the worst.
Krantz wondered at the change, but of course could not account for it.
The Utrecht was not far from the Andaman Isles, when Krantz, who had
watched the barometer, came in early one morning and called Philip.

"We have every prospect of a typhoon, sir," said Krantz; "the glass and
the weather are both threatening."

"Then we must make all snug. Send down top-gallant yards and small
sails directly. We will strike top-gallant masts. I will be out in a
minute."

Philip hastened on deck. The sea was smooth, but already the moaning of
the wind gave notice of the approaching storm. The vacuum in the air
was about to be filled up, and the convulsion would be terrible; a white
haze gathered fast, thicker and thicker; the men were turned up,
everything of weight was sent below, and the guns were secured. Now
came a blast of wind which careened the ship, passed over, and in a
minute she righted as before; then