brigantine, Master Barnaby True, I am
not really so, but am under orders of a superior whom I have obeyed in
all these things that I have done." Having said so much as this, he
continued his address to say that there was one thing yet remaining for
him to do, and that the greatest thing of all.

He said that this was something that both Barnaby and the young lady
were to be called upon to perform, and he hoped that they would do
their part willingly; but that whether they did it willingly or no, do
it they must, for those also were the orders he had received.

You may guess how our hero was disturbed by this prologue. He had found
the young lady's hand beneath the table and he now held it very closely
in his own; but whatever might have been his expectations as to the
final purport of the communications the other was about to favor him
with, his most extreme expectations could not have equalled that which
was demanded of him.

"My orders are these," said his interlocutor, continuing: "I am to take
you and the young lady ashore, and to see that you are married before I
quit you, and to that end a very good, decent, honest minister who
lives ashore yonder in the village was chosen and hath been spoken to,
and is now, no doubt, waiting for you to come. That is the last thing I
am set to do; so now I will leave you and her young ladyship alone
together for five minutes to talk it over, but be quick about it, for
whether willing or not, this thing must be done."

Thereupon he incontinently went away, as he had promised, leaving those
two alone together, our hero like one turned into stone, and the young
lady, her face turned away, as red as fire, as Barnaby could easily
distinguish by the fading light.

Nor can I tell what Barnaby said to her, nor what words or arguments he
used, for so great was the distraction of his mind and the tumult of
his emotions that he presently discovered that he was repeating to her
over and over again that God knew he loved her, and that with all his
heart and soul, and that there was nothing in all the world for him but
her. After which, containing himself sufficiently to continue his
address, he told her that if she would not have it as the man had said,
and if she were not willing to marry him as she was bidden to do, he
would rather die a thousand, aye, ten thousand, deaths than lend
himself to forcing her to do such a thing as this. Nevertheless, he
told her she must speak up and tell