of thinking that their intimacy--however brief--must have a
certain consecration. She felt that, with him, after his promise (he
would have made any promise to lead her on), she was secure,--secure
as she had proved to be, secure as she must think herself now. That
security had helped her to ask herself, after the first flush of passion
was over, and her native, her twice-inherited worldliness had bad time
to open its eyes again, why she should keep faith with a man whose
deficiencies (as a husband before the world--another affair) had been
so scientifically exposed to her by her parents. So she had simply
determined not to keep faith; and her determination, at least, she did
keep.

By the time Benyon turned in he had satisfied himself, as I say,
that Georgina was now in his power; and this seemed to him such an
improvement in his situation that he allowed himself (for the next ten
days) a license which made Kate Theory almost as happy as it made her
sister, though she pretended to understand it far less. Mildred sank to
her rest, or rose to fuller comprehensions, within the year, in the Isle
of Wight, and Captain Benyon, who had never written so many letters as
since they left Naples, sailed westward about the same time as the sweet
survivor. For the "Louisiana" at last was ordered home.

VI.

Certainly, I will see you if you come, and you may appoint any day or
hour you like. I should have seen you with pleasure any time these last
years. Why should we not be friends, as we used to be? Perhaps we shall
be yet. I say "perhaps" only, on purpose,--because your note is rather
vague about your state of mind. Don't come with any idea about making me
nervous or uncomfortable. I am not nervous by nature, thank Heaven,
and I won't--I positively won't (do you hear, dear Captain Benyon?)--be
uncomfortable. I have been so (it served me right) for years and years;
but I am very happy now. To remain so is the very definite intention of,
yours ever,

Georgina Roy.

This was the answer Benyon received to a short letter that he despatched
to Mrs. Roy after his return to America. It was not till he had been
there some weeks that he wrote to her. He had been occupied in various
ways: he had had to look after his ship; he had had to report at
Washington; he had spent a fortnight with his mother at Portsmouth, N.
H.; and he had paid a visit to Kate Theory in Boston. She herself was
paying visits, she was staying with various