now," she replied. "I must have caught a brief
glimpse of your face. You and Captain Jules sent me the wonderful pearl.
We never could guess from whom it had come."

"Yes," answered Captain Morton, "Jules and I had kept it for you for many
years. We determined that sooner or later you should have it. I shall
never forget the day when Jules came hurrying into 'The Anchorage' with
the news that he had seen you and talked with you about me. He was sure
that you were our Madge even before he knew your name to be Morton. It
was wonderful to hear that your dearest wish was to find me."

Madge slipped her arm into that of her father and laid her curly head
against his shoulder. "If it was Fate that separated us, then I shall
never be dismayed by it again, for love and determination are far greater
and through them I found you," she declared softly.

"I am afraid I am very selfish to take you away for a whole year from
Mrs. Curtis and Tom and the houseboat girls," said her father, almost
wistfully. "You are not sorry you are going to spend the next few months
with no one but two old men for company?"

"But I spent eighteen years without you," reminded Madge. "Don't you
believe I ought to begin to make up for lost time? Just think,"--her eyes
grew tender with the pride of possession--"I have what I've longed for
more than anything else in the world, my father's love. Perhaps when we
come back next year we can anchor the 'Little Captain' in Pleasure Bay
and invite the 'Merry Maid' and her crew to visit us. Then Miss Jenny Ann
could be married on the houseboat. We must be very sure to come home on
time if we carry out that plan."

"Aye, aye, Captain Madge," smiled her father, "unless our good ship fails
us we'll anchor next September in Pleasure Bay and send a special
invitation to the crew of the 'Merry Maid' to meet us there."

The End

End of Project Gutenberg's Madge Morton's Victory, by Amy D.V. Chalmers

*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MADGE MORTON'S VICTORY ***

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