in Jamaica for a year or two longer than he had intended.

"That being so," he continued, "it occurred to me that perhaps you might
consent to our marriage before I leave England again, and that, indeed,
you might even make up your mind to try a trip to Jamaica. Of course we
should have considerable spells of holiday if you thought it was worth
while coming home for a short time. I assure you you would find the
place delightful--far more delightful than anything I told you in my
letters, for I'm not very good at describing things. And there is a fair
amount of society."

He did not prefer the request in an impassioned manner. On the contrary,
he merely felt that he was satisfying himself by carrying out an
intention he had formed on his voyage home. If, he had said to himself,
Wenna and he became friends, he would at least suggest to her that she
might put an end to all further suspense and anxiety by at once marrying
him and accompanying him to Jamaica.

"What do you say?" he said with a friendly smile. "Or have I frightened
you too much? Well, let us drop the subject altogether for the present."

Wenna breathed again.

"Yes," said he good-naturedly, "you can think over it. In the mean time
do not harass yourself about that or anything else. You know I have
come home to spend a holiday."

"And won't you come and see the others?" said Wenna, rising with a glad
look of relief on her face.

"Oh yes, if you like," he said; and then he stopped short, and an angry
gleam shot into his eyes: "Wenna, who gave you that ring?"

"Oh, Mabyn did," was the frank reply; but all the same Wenna blushed
hotly, for that matter of the emerald ring had not been touched upon.

"Mabyn did?" he repeated, somewhat suspiciously. "She must have been in
a generous mood."

"When you know Mabyn as well as I do, you will find out that she always
is," said Miss Wenna quite cheerfully: she was indeed in the best of
spirits to find that this dreaded interview had not been so very
frightful after all, and that she had done no mortal injury to one who
had placed his happiness in her hands.

When Mr. Roscorla, some time after, set out to walk by himself up to
Basset Cottage, whither his luggage had been sent before him, he felt a
little tired. He was not accustomed to violent emotions, and that
morning he had gone through a good deal. His anger and anxiety had for
long been fighting for mastery, and both had reached their climax that
morning.