by a week, a day, do you think,
doctor, I shall not curse your prudence? And who knows, now, when a ship
will leave?"

"When? On Sunday, in five days; and that ship is 'The Saint Louis' a
famous clipper, and so good a sailor, that you will easily overtake the
two big three-masters that have sailed before you."

Offering his hand to Daniel, he added,--

"Come, my dear Champcey; don't blame an old friend who has done what he
thought was his duty to do."

Daniel was too painfully affected to pay much attention to the
conclusive and sensible reasons alleged by the chief surgeon; he saw
nothing but that his friends had taken advantage of his condition to
keep him in the dark. Still he also felt that it would have been black
ingratitude and stupid obstinacy to preserve in his heart a shadow
of resentment. He therefore, took the hand that was offered him, and,
pressing it warmly, replied in a tone of deep emotion,--

"Whatever the future may have in store for me, doctor, I shall never
forget that I owe my life to your devotion."

As usually, when he felt that excitement was overcoming him,--a very
rare event, to tell the truth,--the old surgeon fell back into his rough
and abrupt manner.

"I have attended you as I would have attended any one: that is my duty,
and you need not trouble yourself about your gratitude. If any one owes
me thanks, it is Miss Ville-Handry; and I beg you will remind her of it
when she is your wife. And now you will be good enough to dismiss all
those dismal ideas, and remember that you have only five days longer to
tremble with impatience in this abominable country."

He spoke easily enough of it,--five days! It was an eternity for a
man in Daniel's state of mind. In three hours he had made all his
preparations for his departure, arranged his business matters, and
obtained a furlough for Lefloch, who was to go with him. At noon,
therefore, he asked himself with terror, how he was to employ his time
till night, when they came, and asked if he would please come over to
the courthouse, to see the magistrate.

He went at once, and found the lawyer, but so changed, that he hardly
recognized him at first. The last mail had brought him the news of his
appointment to a judgeship, which he had long anxiously desired, and
which would enable him to return, not only to France, but to his native
province. He meant to sail in a frigate which was to leave towards the
end of the month, and in which Crochar