ful and considerate! Do take my
part, for poor Hugh's sake!"

The quiet Margaret was not appealed to in vain. "I will, Alfred," she
returned, "and I do. I wish this gentleman had never come near us;"
whereupon the captain laid hold of himself the tighter; "but I take your
part for all that. I am sure you have some strong reason and some
sufficient reason for what you do, strange as it is, and even for not
saying why you do it, strange as that is. And, Kitty darling, you are
bound to think so more than any one, for true love believes everything,
and bears everything, and trusts everything. And, mother dear, you are
bound to think so too, for you know you have been blest with good sons,
whose word was always as good as their oath, and who were brought up in
as true a sense of honour as any gentleman in this land. And I am sure
you have no more call, mother, to doubt your living son than to doubt
your dead son; and for the sake of the dear dead, I stand up for the dear
living."

"Wa'al now," the captain struck in, with enthusiasm, "this I say, That
whether your opinions flatter me or not, you are a young woman of sense,
and spirit, and feeling; and I'd sooner have you by my side in the hour
of danger, than a good half of the men I've ever fallen in with--or
fallen out with, ayther."

Margaret did not return the captain's compliment, or appear fully to
reciprocate his good opinion, but she applied herself to the consolation
of Kitty, and of Kitty's mother-in-law that was to have been next Monday
week, and soon restored the parlour to a quiet condition.

"Kitty, my darling," said the young fisherman, "I must go to your father
to entreat him still to trust me in spite of this wretched change and
mystery, and to ask him for some directions concerning Lanrean. Will you
come home? Will you come with me, Kitty?"

Kitty answered not a word, but rose sobbing, with the end of her simple
head-dress at her eyes. Captain Jorgan followed the lovers out, quite
sheepishly, pausing in the shop to give an instruction to Mr. Pettifer.

"Here, Tom!" said the captain, in a low voice. "Here's something in your
line. Here's an old lady poorly and low in her spirits. Cheer her up a
bit, Tom. Cheer 'em all up."

Mr. Pettifer, with a brisk nod of intelligence, immediately assumed his
steward face, and went with his quiet, helpful, steward step into the
parlour, where the captain had the great satisfaction of seeing him,
throug