I was aroused by
Uncle John asking me if I felt well enough to take a turn with him on
deck. I joined him at once, and we paced the deck without speaking. It
was a lovely night and the stars filled the heavens. At length Uncle
John said, "Arthur, here's a very remarkable case. This poor girl has
lost her memory completely, and no wonder, after her terrible
sufferings. She cannot remember an event that happened before she opened
her eyes in the cabin below. She can talk well, reads readily, shows the
breeding of a lady, but as far as the past is concerned, she might as
well be a week-old baby. You say that her name is Helen Rankine. Who is
Helen Rankine? Where did you meet her?"

Uncle John had never known why I was so ready to give up my dreams of
artist life and join him in his Australian scheme. I told him the whole
story of my infatuation for Helen and her heartless perfidy. He listened
intently. When I had finished, he said:

"My boy, let me say one thing, first of all. On your own evidence,
forming my opinion solely from what you have told me, I think you have
done a good girl injustice. I don't believe that Helen Rankine coquetted
with you. Like many a young fellow before you, you thought that the
frank friendliness of a young woman who looked upon you as a boy, though
perhaps not your senior in years, was encouragement to make love to her.
She thought that you knew of her engagement, so she said, and felt a
security that misled you. You are not the first lad that has had such an
experience and cursed all women, and vowed that he'd never trust one
again. I'll trot your children on my knee yet. Well, so much for the
Helen of the past. Now for the Helen of the present, for we might as
well call her Helen as anything else."

"But she is Helen; Helen Rankine. I can swear it," I interrupted.

"Well, well. So be it. I confess it looks so. I have taken a physician's
liberty, and examined her clothing for marks. I find it marked 'H. R.'"

"Isn't that proof enough?" I asked eagerly.

"Yes. I dare say it is. Still there are other girls whose initials are
H. R. You and I have our task. It is to try and lead this poor girl back
to the past. The awful experiences and sufferings of those days in the
boat have affected her brain. Whether beyond cure or not I know not. Now
remember, Arthur," and Uncle John looked at me seriously; "remember,
that even if this girl is the girl you think has wronged you, in fact
she is not the