were in your own nature."

"Such a day as that is distant," said he, gloomily.

"Who knows? The changes which work within us are not to be measured by
time; a day of sorrow will do the work of years."

"There! that lantern at the peak is the signal for me to be off. The
skipper promised to give me notice; but if you will say 'Stay!' be it
so. No, no, Alice, do not lay your hand on my arm if you would not have
me again deceive myself."

"You will write to me, Tony?"

He shook his head to imply the negative.

"Well, to Bella, at least?"

"I think not. I will not promise. Why should I? Is it to try and knot
together the cords we have just torn, that you may break them again at
your pleasure?"

"How ungenerous you are!"

"You reminded me awhile ago it was my devotion to you that civilized me;
is it not natural that I should go back to savagery, as my allegiance
was rejected?"

"You want to be Garibaldian in love as in war," said she, smiling.

The deep boom of a gun floated over the bay, and Tony started.

"That's the last signal,--good-bye." He held out his hand.

"Good-bye, dear Tony," said she. She held her cheek towards him. He
hesitated, blushed till his face was in a dame, then stooped and kissed
her. Skeff's voice was heard at the instant at the door; and Tony rushed
past him and down the stairs, and then, with mad speed, dashed along to
the jetty, leaped into the boat, and, covering his face with his hands,
never raised his head till they were alongside.

"You were within an inch of being late, Tony," cried M'Gruder, as he
came up the side. "What detained you?"

"I 'll tell you all another time,--let me go below now;" and he
disappeared down the ladder. The heavy paddles flapped slowly, then
faster; and the great mass moved on, and made for the open sea.

CHAPTER LX. A DECK WALK

The steamer was well ont to sea when Tony appeared on deck. It was
a calm, starlight night,--fresh, but not cold. The few passengers,
however, had sought their berths below, and the only one who lingered on
deck was M'Grader and one other, who, wrapped in a large boat-cloak, lay
fast asleep beside the binnacle.

"I was thinking you had turned in," said M'Grader to Tony, "as you had
not come up."

"Give me a light; I want a smoke badly. I felt that something was wrong
with me, though I did n't know what it was. Is this Rory here?"

"Yes, sound asleep, poor fellow."

"I 'll wager a trifle he has a lighter heart