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“ ’Spose I was to say to myself: ‘ I’ve got a job that wants a. light- hand. a quick eye, and a knowledge of the coast '2‘ ” " What coast?" asked Stephen. " The coast of North Car‘lina, and the port_of Wilmington): - oun- c! ‘~_V , “ He means blockade runnin‘ !" cried Stephen with enthusiasm. “ Where there’s danger, there's Cap’en Ramsay! Where there’s money to be made, there's the gallant cap'en! Where there’s fightin’ and runnin' away, and aehootin‘ of six-shooters, there he is in the middle of it. whether it's filibusterin’, or alavin', or the South Sea trade or runnin’ the blockade! What a man! What 9. Nero!" “ You’ve guessed the job. old shipmate. Some men would ha’ let me best about the hush for an hour. But you’ve got a head upon your shoulders. Stephen, screwed on tight, right end up. and eyes in that head as can see straight. You've guessed it I" “ Go on, cap; go on." This sagaoious flattery increased the good old man‘s desire to hear more. Blockade~running was next to piracy; therefore dear to his heart. For he was one of those rverse brethren who ever love the thing t at is illegal, be- cause it is illegal. _ - . s “You shall see her. Stephen. Whether you fall in with my proposal or not, you shall see her and judge for yourself. Now. listen. In my last trip we did well; got in and out without a brush or a shot. Some of the boys aboard were pretty rou hâ€" that’s a fact-and just before we sig ted Nassau there was a little difficulty between the pilot and the chief oflicer. The chief oflieerdidn‘tmatter, because his sort. though he was aplucky one. air plentiful. and Nassau swarms with the young En lish chaps mad for a run; butwheu the iot had to send in his checks too. and we saved both over~ board at once. it was a reel loss. and rough upon us as was eneraly felt. For pilots air like angelsâ€"t ey air skarse." “ Young men.” said Stephen, “ will be mung men. I’ve drawed a bowie myself fore now, and let daylight into the other chap. But for both to go at once! That seems a most extravagant waste.“ ' “ So. being at Liverpool. I remembered you, Stephen. I said: ' This is a chance which does not often happen. 1! Stephen Cobbledick gets it, he is a made ma .' " “ I‘m too old." said Stephen. " Nonsense. You're as young as you feel. Your hand is firm. and your eye is straight and what‘s more, you know every inch of the coast." " I do. No man better." “ Why. then. we're half agreed already. And now. old pal. you shall see what a thing it is I am goin‘ to give you a share of.“ He pulled some papers and the stump of a ncil out of his ocket. " First you shall ave. for the den le trip. sevenâ€"hun- dredâ€"andâ€"fiity poundsâ€"nigh upon four thousand dollars." “I’ve been blockade-running since that little game began. and I haven't been caught yet. And I don’t mean to be, though they‘ve put on the coast some new and featcruisers. For I’ve got.at Liver- pool. loading for me. acraft, Stephen, as would make your eyes water. Yes, I reckon you would weep for joy that you had lived to see such a craft.” u “Sam-e day. may be. Stephen. ’Spose therg was pi_l_9tig_g to do ‘3" i‘r‘iAiy. 55'?" The old fellow sat upright and listened iintently. any British frxgste afloat. and put up as New Orleans or Havannah forâ€"â€"” Here he stopped and sighed. “ It‘s comfortin‘ to think of those times. It brings out the flavor of the hymns. You should get relio gion; cap'en." . n. . .r. Stephen then began to narrate his own exfenencee. The commodore of the Con- fe ante Navy eat in the attitude of listen- ing. which was polite. because the pilot was prolix. After a quarter of an houror so of patient pretence. he pulled up the ner- ntcr short. “ Sty,” he began, “ what do you men to do next?" “ Nothing," replied Stephen. “Whet? Buy in this forsaken hole? Sit here and rot like an old bulk 11: a har- bor?" “Ay. Sit here is the word, cap’en. Time's come when I’m bound to lay up. I've 0t reli 'on; I’ve gota dozen cottages; I co eot t e rents ota Saturday; I’m sixty-five years of age; there's no pilotin’ to do; andasfor black jobs, whyI doubt whether that trade will ever again be worth what it usedto be. Lord! some- times, when the minister is a bloomin' away in the chapel. I sit and think of the droves of ’em bought fora song. as one may say. sometimes took for nothing, drivers and-all, hurried over the Atlantic in aclipper that could show her heels to , n_:L:nI- £__-_L- -fl-“ ._.1 _.-t .-_ no “éfich lines; such gracefulness; such lighanheaa; such speed." H !" “What ?“ Stephen jumped out of his chair. “ How much ?“ “ Seven _-â€"- hundred -â€"andâ€" {my pounds sterling. Half paid down on the day you 0 thou-d; the othor hdf when wo' got flock to Nassau. Stop a minute. I hovon‘t done yet. Every mm is allowed a‘puoo for And he and love nnnttereble Are owed in her eyes, AI In edeep unrullledstreem Are as end summer skies. She peued'to eerly womenhood.‘ From dreemy. sweet girl llte. And crossed the rosy threshold but To and herself s It“ ; Ohl gently should he lead her steps Along the psth of life! And she oluped her smell white hands Upon his srms so strong, Hg: ol‘ten I‘ll“; a. summer sigh, e twee ceding so . She whisperspwlth e pertfigfi kiss. " Beloved one. don t stay ong." They're slmoet elweys on her lip. Her gentlest petting words. Sweet as the lregrence from rose leaves When by soft 20‘ hyrs stirred. And lingerlng in t e memory Like songs 0! summer birds. And in his hurt they nestle warm __When other‘gcenee amid; He at: s not till she wary own. And er loud eyes are 111 In team which lies in bnmruess Beneath each yielding lld. And, oh. how many hearts are kept By that love-utterinfilaongl Tigere'e_gga{cely one w 0 on life's waves ii iiiftiy Bdiho along. But what was baud from some dear lips These sweet words. “ Don't stay long." A Jock o! 1 look of yarn! undo: Bound: but! on It“. u_d hope gnd lpye‘unutu N0 RELATIONS ; A Story of Today. tain Ramsay. And this heroic Vikifig actually stood before the peaceful folks of Boecutle in the flesh. A small, lithe, quiet-looking man. with quick bright eyes, who sat quietly beside Stephen, and for awhile said nothipg. _ ‘ ‘ .- Now Captain Ramsay was, as has been explained. a familiar name with every man who was privileged to hear the conversation of Mr. Stephen Cobbledick. For whenever he had to tell of a deed of peculiar atorcit-y, an act of more than common treachery. a deed which made the flesh to creep and the blood to boil, a transaction more nefar- ious than is usually considered possible to humanity. he fathered it with every tribute of praise and_adt_n_jration npoy Cap~ v-u The Qatari; th: blacksmith, and the shipwright stared 11111me at the stranger, who presently began to talk and to smoke cigaisi _ v n u ‘9,,,,,,_*I AI,A ‘Yife't he is a. tiger, J wk," whispered the Poet, in answer to nothing. Jack opened the conversation by asking if the commodore had left the States re- cently, and what he thought were the pre- sent prospects of the South. “ Sir." replied that oflioer. " the present prospect is certainty. The North is in her set throes; they’ve got through all their Irish and Germans; they can't raise re~ emits nor money; they have beenâ€"~but they won‘t own upâ€"already licked into a. cocked hat; their generals air like whipped ours with their tails between their 9 - their papers sir clamoring for peace; and the South will be askem the North. be~ fore very long. to be g enou h to take Maryland and Washington. an go about her own business. Wal. we do not wish to bear malice; we will let them alone, pro- vided they let us alone. But 30 we must. and go we shall. glint is so gentlemen." third mate. ’Twas at Havannah. You were then. you said. the son of an English gentleman. and you’d run away. You ship- ped in the name of Peregrine Pickle. which afterwards I saw in a printed book. That was the first "â€"he loo ed round him with admirationâ€"“ of his names and descrip- tions. Never any man had so many parents. And wicked? How a lad so young oouid pick up so much wickedness. the Lord knows. Yet there he was. And drink ? Like a mermaid. And swear ? Don't name it. And fight? Like Great Alexander; for the walloping of a nig, to get the work out of him, I don't suppose there was ever a lad, Spaniard, Mexican, or Yankee, could come Within a mile of him. And the sweetest temperwith it; not proud. not Eufied up with vam eonoeits; easy and afia 1e with all alike. And at a dignity ball, the cook 0! the walk. though Mexican yellow noses, which are well known to be more jealous than a alligator. were waitin’ outside with knives sharpened on the door-step to have hishlood.” 01.1 In the evening Stephen produced an electrical effect in the smoking-room of the Wellington Arms by the introduction of his friend Captain Ramsay, who was, he added, Commodore in the Confederate Navy. “ There's thlt tgall o' mine; m niece. Hound it I don’t mt tag kop' or alive 3 purpose to won- on' in are." Leave her ballad." “ I might do tint.” “A. dozen men. .11 your own. They're full 01 the things thstull in onhmoad and the other places. Thero’l women's eta a Ind gloves. toothbrushes. Cooklo’l pi . luoiter-momheoâ€"mn! whotever you take will sell. ’lm it's row cotton." This good uncle wu mediating e. scheme for the up inane of his niece. “ As for anger. there' 3 none. Not that *ou are the mm to show a white leather. here's plenty at Liverpool could do it. but I want you. ‘Siwve Cobbledick. ' I nL-_‘- uâ€"â€".. â€" â€"'J . " You were on'y next door to a boy." gaid_ Stephan“; when ypu'gglipiqraboard u I. v-.- “‘7 ’i'heniio‘u 7 will go with me ?" said the hero of the raise. unmoved. “ You will be my pilot . I'm part owner of the ship and cargo, as well as skipper." “ When do you want to sail?" “ In e._ fortnight." “Give me three days. I think I can go. cap'en. It’s only that cussed gell. She’s cost me a thousand pounds already, and I want to get that back. I think the job is as good as done. Three days, my noble eag'en.’_’ ~. ‘ 1 - â€"_â€" 0' ____ " Of course." aaid Jaok, " you speak as a partisan. We hear other accounts from the Nort .” " You hear. air,whatever lies the meanest resa in the world chooses to tell you. Vhat I tell you. air. is fact." Undoubtedly a very strong adherent to the. Secession Cause. Salem a long way behind, clean forgotten. Pilot Cohbledick looked on in admiration. _ Ki'df‘QSEfiI 'eniey the business. Steve Cobblediok. as I’ve known these twenty years and more, since I was little bigger thsn‘a boy.’ " . c A , L__.II Ivyâ€"‘1‘- v- -â€" Presently the commodore passed from Confederate matters. which. considering the way in which the end has falsified his predictions, together with those of a great many far-seeing English editors. would be stale in the re tition. and. backed up 1) his old oomr e-in-arms, launched fort upon the sea of general experience and rsonal reminiscenms. Like Stephen, he ad been everywhere. Stephen. for his part. was guarded. He said nothing. except to murmur applause, or to put aleading question. _ . {or u doun one. it you Ilka. Mon thsn thlt. I’ve bought (11me for you. and they no qhippod ready for you. I give them to or to at a leading uesnon. at do you tink of him ?" asked J wk when they evening was over. " What I said before. my boy; a tiger,“ replied the Poet. “ He looks it. " _ __-__ -__-AI_ AL- ---.-_.- .v ,--__ --- ‘Avis' reflections were exactly the reverse of the Poet‘s. She thought that if the man was a tiger. as according to the statements made by Stephen he most certainly was, he looked like a lamb. His voice. to her, was so gentle from the moment he saw her; his manner so mild. sc caressing; his very attitudes so modest and unassuming. that she could not believe. from his appearance. the stories told about him. Re a pirate? Be a tiger? No; the im 'nation of Site phen mnsthsve invented al . Y°,‘.". The wayâ€"which the wise man found marvellous in bi eyesâ€"when there are three together. md one of them' u u maid, “ It I could 1" up lied Stephen. “ Why not? Whu’s to prevent 9" “ Thoro' a thtt sell 0’ minq; my u Ay.’i This ood r the ‘ up} own vmmr A You gull by. {gun THE COURSE OF TRUE DOVE. CHAPTER V. u I do not think that Stephen cares much about providing for me," said Avis gently. Sue was not a. girl who readily thought evil or ascribed motives. But it was ridi- culous to imagine Stephen Cobbledick as anxious to work for the sake of _ herself. " Perhaps,” said J ack gravely. as if he be- lieved whathe was saying, “ Stephen thinks he is getting old, and would like to make better provision for you. in easeâ€"you see, Avis. you are a. girl, and have not been brought up to fight your way in the world, which is a. place where, unless you are pro- vided with cushions and hassooks stuffed with bank-notes, you find the sitting pretty K I hobo V iyou have got easy cushiofis for yourself. J wk." “Mine atom enough for me,"he re. pljgd gruflly. “ he quegtign isâ€"Avis, Gv‘fliioi marry; a W?! 5m ?'.' “ fuck I" For. ;t the word “ marry," all the possibilities of the situation rushed upon her mind. " I am getting on, but an artist’s life is uncertain. Still, if you love me as I love you. Avisâ€":Darling: will you take me ?" ,,A _,,L,._ L- __AI__ “ Since Captain Ramsay came," said Avis to Jack. two days after the arrival of that worthy, "I hear of nothing but blockade-running. My uncle wants to go. He has got out charts and maps, and spreads them on my table; he pores over them. with his thumb on the places which he is interested in. And he has been throwing out hintsâ€"you know his hints are broad onesâ€"about being able to go if I were not in his way." J She knew, she found out when he spoke of love. that she already loved him: she felt that life would be intolerable without him, but she was ashamed ; she could not. so suprised, aooep§ bin). n0‘11," she said, the tears ntartiug to her eyes. " you ask me to marry you, Jack, out of your kindness; just as you forced your way to me, because you gitied me. You omnot love me,’f As for the other two. they went about without him. happy with each other; the wandered afield or along the to h Cornish lanes, with cobbled walls on ei or side; they gathered the wild roses: they sailed in the boat; they climbed the stee sides of Tintagel. They were yet in t e sweet misty time which comes before the spoken love; it is then that each to each puts forth invisible ume; ghostly embraces follow. which are but half telt; the very sir seems rosy with the glow of sunrise; it is a time of im rfect joy. 0! sweet uncer- tainty, hopelu tear, tender doubt, and ever-growing faith. A woman, perfect of her kind. once told me that marriage. against which she had nothing to say. was not so happy as the time of plighted troth; and this, again, not so sweet as that uncerâ€" tain time of undecided wooing, of admira- tion. and of attraction. It was a new and divine joy for J ask to read. do. after day, the soul of this inno~ cent. fr . and beautiful girl, whose heart turned unto things good and beautiful. as the hemlock turns to the east. A girl’s thoughts are mostly, when she finds expres- sion, clad in the words of others; she is not good at finding words for herself, she stammers. when she tries; it isa shameful thing, in a way. for her tell. in words all of her own. and directly. the things she feels rather than thinks. Therefore everie girl is a mystery and an enigma. The tter she is. the higher her aspirations. the more mysterious is she to the lover who would fun understand her dee st thought, her most secret hope and wis . Mostly, how- ever, the talk of lovers seems. to the outer world, commonplace; “ My dear," he said, taking her hand, “ I have always loved you. I loved you, I think, from the very first. when you sat in the boat so sad and silent. Take me, my dear, and let your uncle go blockade-run- ning, or blackhead-breakin , or anything he leases, with his amiab e pirate an mur erer, Captain Ramsay. Avis, once more, can you love me? Will you send me away empty. after all our talks and walks and hspiy times, Avis? You called me your brot or once; I will not be your bro- ther any more. I muetbe your lover, Avis, or nothing." She shyly put out her hand. “ I cannot give up my friend," she said, smiling through her tears; “ and if he means what he says, and his handmaid has found favor in his eight, and he will take her for his sweetheart, who loves himâ€"" This time must hove on end. That is most sure. Julie de Bembonillet monies M. de Montnusier at last and Penelope is rewarded in the end. But it is pleasant while it lasts; and, in the opinion of some, the time which followeis more pleasant The noblest man in the world to marry the noblest Woman! This is a dream which has always presented itself to me in the form of a nightmare. One can im .'ne the loneliness, the terrible isolation o a household so perfect as to be a standing and perpetual reproach to all the world. one may feel how husband and wife. after many months of keeping up an ex- hibition of the noblest virtues to each other as well as to all the world, would at last fly apart with exeorations, and descend to a lower level andâ€"separate. I have. besides. never met any whom I could call either the noblest man or the noblest woman. 1 have always found in the for- mer certain failings due to vanity. jealousy, love of adulation. or even a passion for port; and in the other I have sometimes noted a tendency to positiveness,smallness, and inability to recognize in the world any- thing but what she sees. Iam sure that Avis was neither the noblest nor the best of women. To begin with. she was not of the best educated, had few accom lish- ments, knew nothing of society at al , was imperfectly instmcted in the fashions, and ,,,AA_A Ir-â€" in shot one 0! flag 0th.: two must go troy by himself. The Poet. “union. wont "my. He aloud Avis utter the poetiool gunner: _It i} very: you _kn9_1_m how Petr-roll found con-olotion. In uh nun- mor. this poet at onnrook; thought of this girl’s eyes and her wondrous hoe; made her immortolâ€"nt least. those of his friends who reviewed him laid soâ€"in undy- ing verso; nnd presently. with tnnqnility of mind. untried mother womnn. You never find 3 poet, mind you. going dis- traught with lore. _ had little’ to recommend her except her beautyâ€"en old fashioned unlity, but un- common in these deyeâ€" er virtue end goodness. But, for an average pair of imperfect mortals. with a good everage ehere of virtuee.end a general leaning to whet‘ is good rather than to what is evil, and a power ofuneelflehnees, end ebolie! in “ Since," he said, “ she is good enough to think me worthy of being a. husband, we shell be married as quickly as possuble. So you will be free of your charge and happy again. You will beable to live as you like. never open the windows, never clean the place. spread your dinner on the floor, and get_as drunk as you please." .I u . n. v This, to be sure. was exactly what Ste- phen most waan; but he was not going to let the girlgo without getting what he could for himself. And when Jack used the word“wort y" in his humility, Ste- phen thought of the other meaning attached to the word “ worth." Therefore, he re~ 12mi- ‘v._ “ Easy a bitgoung gentleman; soft and easy is the we . Now, before we go a bit further into this business, we must have marriage settlements laid down and agreed upon." " The marriage settlements?" “ Just so. Mr. Davenant "â€"the old man looked unspeakably cunningâ€"“ just so, sir; the marriage settlements. Of course you don't expect that I am goin‘ to let Avis go with nothing."_ - . .c o n."- “ I am not a. rich man," he laid; “ and I cannot settle money upon my wife which I have not got But I will insure my life for her benefit, for any reasonable amount. The}; ought to satisfy you." ..- - . n. u- n. “ Insure your life for her benefit!" Ste. phen was astonished at the young man’s stupidity. " Well I don't mind; that's just as you like. I was talking of marriage settlements. not insurm’ of lives for her benefit. Who‘s a-talkin’ of her benefit?" marriage settlement! If you want me to o and at aboutâ€"this took and that took â€"like o lawyer, say so . if not.‘ answer me plain and straight. How much am I to one?" “ You to have ? You?" “Me, Mr. Dovenont. Do you suppose that I've poid for that gell's eduootion,os fine as if she'd been oduchess, sixty pounds â€"I mean ninety pounds a. year. mono out of pocket fore yhteen yeors. for not ing. No. ail-:1 cola ate not. " Avis. He added the last words for the sake of emphasis. and with due American intona. tion. " Good heaven I" cried Jack. "I think if you tot up that sum. Mr. Davenant. you will find it come to nigh u 11 one thousand and eight hundred pound. T en there‘s the interest. which would be -â€"â€"ah. I dessay a hundred pound more. That makes. altogether, pretty near two thousand pound. Now, the man who marries that gell has got to makeamarriage settlement upon me of all that money as I have laid out upon her to make her what she is. She can play the pianner, I am told; she can sing. when she isn‘t sulky. like a angel ; she can patter French. they tell me, in a way as would astonish you; she can dress u to make her husband proud; she can ta k pretty, when she isn’t in a temper; and {she can go along, holdin’ of her petticuts in her hand, like a lady. That‘s what she is. a real lady to look at; besides belongin’ to a most res ectable family. It was for this that I lai out the money. ‘Do not grudge it. Stephen.‘ I says to m self; ‘it is a oastin' upon the waters, it wrll be brought back (ontoe you, like a runaway nig. And I make no charge for the glove. nor for_the affection. nor for the worthy pilot. and.without thinking it neoes~ sary to ask the permission of Avis' guardian. whxoh is a. formality observed by most suitors, he informed him that he was about to marry hot. " 'J‘Eci‘fida ‘Eacher surprised at this. sun, as a. guardian. Stephen was perhaps justi- fieq in expecting something to be settled on ” And I was saying that I will secure her from want by means of an insurance in place of a marriage settlement. That is quite n 1391151 fining teas), Relieye me." .miu 1 “ Lox-(ii Viki-EFF cfied' Stephen. "Why can’t a man speak up plain and direct? When I said marriage settlement, I meant we love. not 10: out: uuwuuu, um nu mu giefâ€"whichg mig ht settle on the chest. and the death of a man, or turn to Inmbngo H -â€"at looin’ of her; and M for-â€" One thing J wok could doâ€"which he did. and with surprisin results. He would see old Cobbledick an tell him what he was going to_do. Agooi-dingly, he_ sought the eeeh other uwelluincoodneee u on ebetreet uelity, Ideolm thet Jack end Avie m tobouwellmeteduAdun end we. who. us we know. were imperfect. “Poet." aid Jack. leter on. with e flange light in his 0 es and 3 little ehek- 1ng in his voice. “ hevo naked Avie to merry me. She is good enough to teke “ I oongmtultto ou." replied the mm of song. " My belle us am you hove done the beat flung you possibly could for your- self. Now that you are ens-god. Me her gym, “lost as ever you can; the sooner “ We shall be married," uld Jackâ€"he repeated the word. as it it geve him gnu. fleetion â€"“ some time in the autumn. I've got to find a house and furnish it." thnt I have been watching the piratical sooundrel who culls himself Commodore Ramsayâ€"no more an officer of the Con~ fedemte States than of the British Navy. He is a tiger and a mamaamr." " Go onâ€"go on." In these days it is extremely (lificult for an Englishman to threaten an enemy. He cannot make daylight through him with a revolver. as a Texan might or a gentleman of Colorado. He cannot call him out, with a choice of pistols or swords. He cannot even promfue to Enoch his head! because it is undignified. He can do nothing. The low is to do everything. Yet, e on in the most law abiding country in t e world. there is always that possible return to the habits of the prehistoric men, who carried a. stick. sharpened its point in the fire. and carved his flint axes, mainly for the pur- pose of enjoying himself upon his enemy. should beget the chance. um an: the ttor." “Don't wait for the autumn. Take her awawut of this. as soon as you can." “ at do you moan ?" “ I‘mean that the atmosphere in danger- can." “ It you will explainâ€"’ “ Well then. what I mean is that I have eyes in my head. even although I wear apeotaloga; that I havo hoen using Ithqm; “ They are unholy eyes, Jock; take her owe. at once." “ e cannot run away with her under my very eyes," said Jack presently. “ If he dues to say one word to her, by heaven â€"" Here he checked. " Go on 0 on." “And I ink he has cast eyes of affec- tion onâ€"on our fiwooe." J wok olenc ed his fists and swore a. great. Captain Boycott went to Amelia county. Virginia. recently, to visit an old friend. Mr. M. Blacker. a former Irish justice of the peace and deputy lord-lieutenant. Mr. Blacker is the owner of very lar e landed estates in Southeide. Virginie. Ha I a million dollars or more have been invested by a colony of Irish entiemen in Amelia county. It is thought t at it is not unlikely Captain Boycott may decide, if he likes the country. to make his home in Virginia. where so many of his acquaint- ances have already settled. The new Czar. whose inte rit is hi hly e ken of, is said to have reso ve to re uee t e enormous expenditure hithertoincurred in the hu 0 Winter Palace and its belong- ings. A t. Peteraburg p1?“ states thet the expenditure oi the inietry oi the Imperial household will be reduced from eleven to three million roubles. a difference of 84,000,000. being more then the entire nmount‘ol the English civil lint. "There's my hand on it." said Stephen. “ When I came home with my little pile I said I'd have nothing more to do with niggers. Besides, I've gut religion. And I never did love the blacks: not to feel kind 0’ hearty toe-wards their shiny skins; not even when I was ahippin‘ of ’em across the pond for the Cuban market. Some skip. pore loved ’em like their own brothers and oowhided 'em like their own sons. Put their hearts, they did, into the cat-o'-nine- tails. I never did.” " As for your religion.” said the commo- dore, “ and as for your virtueâ€"there.” He made a gesture which implied that he be- lieved Stephen's late born virtue to be, like other flowers of autumn. a pale ano scent. less weed. “ Well. that‘s settled. Half the money shall be aid to you before we ship, the other half w on we get back toNasssu; the cases of notions I promised you shall be yours. Did I ever treat an old shipmate unfair, Steve ?" “ Never, cap." " Very we I, then. “ If we’re caughtâ€" but that's unlikelyâ€"we shall have a taste of a Northern prison; if not, we'll have another merry run, and another at the bank of that. And long may the war last, and hafipy may we be! ‘ Step an s rang to his feet and waved his hat With a 0 car. " Now. Steve "â€"the captain was more han affable. he was afi'ectionate todayâ€"â€" 'there’s another thing. That gal of yours is as fine a gal as one would wish to see. I don’t remember. nowhere . any gel as comes nigh her for good look sand a straight back; and I conclude that she hasn't got any call to make that fine figure of hers look flner__by_stufiin' and things.” AI, nIA_ “Now, shipmete "â€"the commodore was still lying back in the chair. with his feet upon the back of another chair, and he a he without taking the trouble to remove e cigar from his lipsâ€"“ I've took a. tune to that gel 0' yourn, and I tell you what 1' do for herâ€"I will marry her." While in this mood, he was joined by Captain Ramsay y. who, without speakin tool; a chair and tilted it against the w so that he could sit back comfortably. As usual, he was provided with an immense cigar. which he smoked continuously. After awhile. the commodore spoke. “ Well. mate. got an answer ready ?" "I’ll go," said Stephen. “ What about the gal ‘2" “ She may goâ€"where she darn please." rep lied the pilot. “ She may go to the devil. I wish I'd never seen her. I wish I'd never spent a farthiug on her. Gratitude ? Not a bit; whistle for it. She may marry who she likes. I don't care who she marries ; she mayâ€"-" "No call :Nhatsover," said her uncle; she is a Cobbledick. which accounts for her figureâ€"where she takes after meâ€"aa well as her face. But if you come to gratitude hie Mum 5 little lower. “ I know whot you hove done. How you went sway und lorfiot ell ebout the child; how the mu: who old your money went on peying for the girl and pleoed her in e. tee table school: how you welcomed her with repromhee and grumbling. Why. ehe owe. you nothl . not even thenks. Now listen. out! lhen at up. I shall give yougot one furthipg; do_ you hear ?" “ Dry up ,man," said Captain Ramsay. “ There’ a more to be said. Let us under- ntond one another. You will come with me ?" humbug and imp-tor.” “Mr. Dual-mt!" Alarmed at this rou- nu. Stephen beam to wish he had put 'I figure- . um. lower. ' “Notono lumixf'? 150 you man, Mr. Duventnt. that on will not pay me back oveqfiqo moqoy__ _apent_o_u hqr ?" The conversation took place in the porch, while Avis herself was sitting on the olifi thinking over the wonderful ha pinees which had hefallen her. So dietur in mind was her uncle by J ack's ungentle- man like and mean response to his pro- posal, that he was fain to have a tumbler of rum and water at once, and to load another pipe. The grog dispatched. he sat gloomily in his arm-chair, growling menacesunterjeo. tions. and ex tensions of discontent. as one who has be ieved too much in humanity. and now, like David, is inclined to say, in hés haste. unkind things about all conditions 0 men. “ Not one faithiig. That is my answer. You will do what you please; but bowm of any harsh word or not to Avis." Jack withdrew. leaving Stephen in a state of such disgust and disappointment as he had never before experienced. For the hope of getting back his money had grown in his mind during the progress of J ack's brie! courtship, until he almost saw it within his grasp. It was because he felt so certain that he had allowed himself to multiply the amount by about three. It may be owned that if Stephen had been acquainted with the nature of geometrical progression. and its relation to compound interest, his claims would certainly have been far higher than they were. But to get nothing, absolutely nothing at all!_ Was nothing, absolutely nothin at all! Wu! th_tt_po_ssil)le?_ _‘_Vq3__it. t i9 309:} rpm; asked: just am! Christian so to act? And how. if not by means of Jack. was this casting of the bread upon the waters to be returned to him? As for Avis' marriage that was the very thing he wanted. Nothing could possibly suit him better. She would be off his hands and out of his house; he need not trouble about her when he was away. But the cruel disappointment. and when he had made quite certain that Mr. Davenant was a real gentleman. who would be only too plased to pay !ot his fancy. “pr l" _o_riod Jyok.“ " you interns! old [To be continued]