nt mistress, but carried himself
haughtily at times--captiously at times--and always with an air of
indifference. All affection seemed transferred to his boy, who was
growing self-willed, passionate, and daring. These qualities were never
repressed by his father, but rather encouraged and strengthened. On
learning that his next heir was a daughter, he expressed impatience, and
muttered something about its being strangled at birth. The nurse said
that he never deigned even to look at it while she was in the house.

The beautiful young wife showed signs of change, also. Much of the old
sweetness had left her mouth, which was calmer and graver. Her manner
towards Captain Allen, noted before, was of the same quiet, distant
character, but more strongly marked. It was plain that she had no love
for him. The great mystery was, how two so wholly unlike in all internal
qualities, and external seeming, could ever have been constrained into
the relationship, of man and wife. She was, evidently, an English woman.
This was seen in her rich complexion, sweet blue eyes, fair hair, and
quiet dignity of manner. Among the many probable and improbable rumors
as to her first meeting with Captain Allen, this one had currency. A
sailor, who had seen a good deal of service in the West Indies, told the
following story:

An English vessel from Jamaica, richly freighted, had on board a
merchant with his family, returning from a residence of a few years on
the island, to the mother country.

They had been out only a day, when a pirate bore down upon them, and
made an easy capture of the ship. The usual bloody scenes of that day
followed. Death, in terrible forms, met the passengers and crew, and the
vessel, after being robbed of its costliest treasures, was scuttled and
sent down into the far depths of the ocean, from whence no sign could
ever come.

But one living soul was spared--so the story went. An only child of
the English merchant, a fair and beautiful young girl, whose years had
compassed only the early spring-time of life, flung herself upon her
knees before the pirate Captain and begged so piteously for life,
that he spared her from the general slaughter he had himself decreed.
Something in her pure, exquisitely beautiful face, touched his
compassion. There were murmurs of discontent among his savage crew. But
the strong-willed Captain had his way, and when he sailed back with
his booty to their place of rendezvous, he bore with him