ough of that, have
been allowed to remain in existence. I cannot understand these
matters--it is very strange; still, I will not forget my vow. I
promised that poor fellow to look after his widow, and if she has a son,
I will, to the best of my humble power, see that his interests are not
neglected. Now I wonder what information Father Mendez has received.
He must have heard that Don Hernan, had he lived, would have succeeded
to this title and these estates. The letters to the captain, which he
has opened, cannot fail of speaking of the matter. Probably they are
written expressly to give the information. I wonder, now, whether the
father will say anything about it. Well, he does not love me, and I do
not trust him, and I will watch him narrowly, and see if I cannot be as
close as he can. Bah! if all men would be honest it would save a great
deal of trouble. If Donna Hilda's child should be a girl there will be
very little for me to do in the affair; she cannot, I suspect, inherit
either the title or estates. If the child is a boy he will be the
rightful heir, there is no doubt about that; but then he will find a
mortal enemy in Don Hernan's cousin, Don Anibal Villavicencio, who will
stir heaven and earth to keep the boy out of his rights; the moment he
hears of Don Hernan's death he will take possession of the property and
assume the title. I must find out what tack Father Mendez is sailing
on. Is he in the interest of the living marquis, or of the unborn baby?
He is never happy unless he is playing some deep game or other. I
suspect that he is waiting to see how things turn out. At all events,
though he beats me hollow in an argument, I'll try whether in a good
cause I cannot outmanoeuvre him. He does not want for money, that I
know. He has his belt stuffed full of gold pieces even now, so the want
of means to go away does not keep him here. Why he does not offer some
to me to get me away I do not know. Probably he looks on me as a rough,
untutored sailor, and despises me too much to dread my interference with
his plans. Perhaps he intends to buy me over, and to make use of me to
aid him. He knows himself pretty well, and thinks all men are likewise
rogues. He will be rather astonished if he finds that he has been
outwitted by a straightforward, honest sailor."

At length the event for some time looked for, both at the castle and the
cottage, occurred. Bertha Morton presented her husband with a fin