en saving life. "Oh!" said she, "didn't your friend Nevil
Beauchamp save a man from drowning, off the guardship, in exactly the
same place?" And next day she sent me a cheque for three pounds for the
fellow. Steady, men! I keep her letter.'

The boat went smoothly alongside the schooner. Miss Halkett had come to
the side. The oars swung fore and aft, and Beauchamp sprang on deck.

Wilmore had to decline Miss Halkett's invitation to him as well as
his friend, and returned in his boat. He left the pair with a ruffling
breeze, and a sky all sail, prepared, it seemed to him, to enjoy the
most delicious you-and-I on salt water that a sailor could dream of;
and placidly envying, devoid of jealousy, there was just enough of fancy
quickened in Lieutenant Wilmore to give him pictures of them without
disturbance of his feelings--one of the conditions of the singular
visitation we call happiness, if he could have known it.

For a time his visionary eye followed them pretty correctly. So long
since they had parted last! such changes in the interval! and great
animation in Beauchamp's gaze, and a blush on Miss Halkett's cheeks.

She said once, 'Captain Beauchamp.' He retorted with a solemn formality.
They smiled, and immediately took footing on their previous intimacy.

'How good it was of you to come twice to Mount Laurels,' said she. 'I
have not missed you to-day. No address was on your card. Where are you
staying in the neighbourhood? At Mr. Lespel's?'

'I'm staying at a Bevisham hotel,' said Beauchamp.

'You have not been to Steynham yet? Papa comes home from Steynham
to-night.'

'Does he? Well, the Ariadne is only just paid off, and I can't well
go to Steynham yet. I--' Beauchamp was astonished at the hesitation he
found in himself to name it: 'I have business in Bevisham.'

'Naval business?' she remarked.

'No,' said he.

The sensitive prescience we have of a critical distaste of our
proceedings is, the world is aware, keener than our intuition of
contrary opinions; and for the sake of preserving the sweet outward
forms of friendliness, Beauchamp was anxious not to speak of the
business in Bevisham just then, but she looked and he had hesitated, so
he said flatly, 'I am one of the candidates for the borough.'

'Indeed!'

'And I want the colonel to give me his vote.'

The young lady breathed a melodious 'Oh!' not condemnatory or
reproachful--a sound to fill a pause. But she was beginning to reflect.

'Italy an