s in his power.
"She must first receive intelligence of her husband's death, which was
not yet certain; she would proceed to Goa, and if she discovered that
she was single, she would write to him."

This answer, as it will be discovered, was the cause of great suffering
to Philip. The commandant, fully assured that he could compass Philip's
death, was satisfied--declared that, as soon as he had any positive
intelligence, he would bring it to Goa himself, and made a thousand
protestations of truth and fidelity.

"Fool!" thought Amine, as she watched the ship, which was now close to
the anchorage.

In half an hour the vessel had anchored, and the people had landed.
Amine observed a priest with them as they walked up to the fort. She
shuddered--she knew not why. When they arrived, she found herself in
the presence of Father Mathias.

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE.

Both Amine and Father Mathias started, and drew back with surprise, at
this unexpected meeting. Amine was the first to extend her hand; she
had almost forgotten at the moment how they had parted, in the pleasure
she experienced in meeting with a well-known face.

Father Mathias coldly took her hand, and laying his own upon her head,
said; "May God bless thee, and forgive thee, my daughter, as I have long
done." Then the recollection of what had passed rushed into Amine's
mind, and she coloured deeply.

Had Father Mathias forgiven her? The event would show; but this is
certain, he now treated her as an old friend, listened with interest to
her history of the wreck, and agreed with her upon the propriety of her
accompanying him to Goa.

In a few days the vessel sailed, and Amine quitted the factory and its
enamoured commandant. They ran through the Archipelago in safety, and
were crossing the mouth of the Bay of Bengal, without having had any
interruption to fine weather.

Father Mathias had returned to Lisbon when he quitted Ternicore, and,
tired of idleness, had again volunteered to proceed as a missionary to
India. He had arrived at Formosa, and, shortly after his arrival, had
received directions from his superior to return, on important business,
to Goa; and thus it was that he fell in with Amine at Tidore.

It would be difficult to analyse the feelings of Father Mathias towards
Amine--they varied so often. At one moment he would call to mind the
kindness shown to him by her and Philip, the regard he had for the
husband, and the many good quali