way with a pleased and amused
expression; for, while she greatly admired the costly gems, she could
not help smiling at the awkwardness of the captain in putting them on.

"Read the paper again," said Minnie, after the contents of the box had
been examined.

The captain took up a small parcel covered with oiled cloth, which
contained a letter. Opening it, he began to read, but was interrupted
by Mrs Brand, who had paid little attention to the jewels.

"Read it out loud, brother," said she, "I don't hear you well. Read it
out; I love to hear of my darling's gallant deeds."

The captain cleared his throat, raised his voice, and read slowly:--

"`Lisbon, 10th March, 1808.

"`Dear Captain Brand,--I am about to quit this place for the East in a
few days, and shall probably never see you again. Pray accept the
accompanying case of jewels as a small token of the love and esteem in
which you are held by a heart-broken father. I feel assured that if
it had been in the power of man to have saved my drowning child your
gallant efforts would have been successful. It was ordained
otherwise; and I now pray that I may be enabled to say "God's will be
done." But I cannot bear the sight of these ornaments. I have no
relatives--none at least who deserve them half so well as yourself.
Do not pain me by refusing them. They may be of use to you if you are
ever in want of money, being worth, I believe, between three and four
hundred pounds. Of course, you cannot misunderstand my motive in
mentioning this. No amount of money could in any measure represent
the gratitude I owe to the man who risked his life to save my child.
May God bless you, sir.'"

The letter ended thus, without signature; and the captain ceased to read
aloud. But there was an addition to the letter written in pencil, in
the hand of the late Captain Brand, which neither he nor Minnie had yet
found courage to read to the poor widow. It ran thus:--

"Our doom is sealed. My schooner is on the Bell Rock. It is blowing
a gale from the North East, and she is going to pieces fast. We are
all standing under the lee of a ledge of rock--six of us. In half an
hour the tide will be roaring over the spot. God in Christ help us!
It is an awful end. If this letter and box is ever found, I ask the
finder to send it, with my blessing, to Mrs Brand, my beloved wife,
in Arbroath."

The writing was tremulous, and the pap