d as the skiff and its light swept astern the mate repeated the word
to the commodores.

"Man at Red River Landing accidentally shot. Must be got to the city
quick or he can't live."

The commodores, and then the lovers, resumed their seats.

"Poor man," murmured Ramsey, "poor man! he's got _his_ trouble without
going in chase of it."

"If he'd gone in chase of it," rejoined Hugh, "he might never have met
it."

The _Enchantress_ swung more directly toward the dim lights of the
wharf-boat and at top speed ruffled through a freshening air with the
goal but a few miles away. Yet the lovers sat silent. Once parted they
would think of many a word they should have spoken while they could, but
now none seemed large enough to break such silence with. To be silent
and best content with silence was one of the most special and blissful
of lovers' rights.

Presently a glow rose from the forecastle, reddening the white
jack-staff up to its black night-hawk. The torch baskets were being
lighted. Hugh stirred to go but Ramsey laid her touch on his wrist and
he stayed.

She spoke. "Mustn't you wait near your grandfather till you see who it
is that's coming aboard?"

"I can. I may as well."

The _Enchantress_, in mid-river, began to "round to" in order to land
bow up-stream. When she came round, the half dozen men on the wharf-boat
were close at hand in the glare of her torches, eye to eye with those on
the forecastle, but prevented by the light itself from seeing those on
the upper decks.

Ramsey sprang to her feet with lips apart to cry out to her mother up
behind her, to Gideon down before, to Hugh at her side, but all these
saw and knew. A face in the centre of the torchlight and of the
wharf-boat group was Julian's bearing the mute intelligence that the
writhing man on a rude stretcher borne by two negroes was his brother.
The lovers parted without a word, but in a moment were near each other
again as Hugh joined the commodores while Ramsey and her mother crouched
at the roof's forward rail to see the wounded man brought across the
stage.

"In my room!" pleaded madame to both Courteneys at once, and the elder
assented as Hugh hurried below with the three Hayles following.

It was heart-rending work getting the sufferer into the berth while he
poured out moanings of agony mingled with frantic accusations of his
bearers, railings against God and all his laws, and unspoken
recognitions of mother and sister. Ramsey, se