s. You will thus, probably, reach Jamaica sooner than you would
have done had you waited for these laggard men-of-war."

Stella had become calm again while her father uttered the last
sentences. She expressed her readiness to do as he wished, and said,
truly, that she wished ever to be with him; though she might have added,
that she pined for the time when he would be content to abandon his
schemes, and settle in some quiet home either in Britain or one of her
colonies, as he had at times talked of doing when his restless spirit
was for a time quelled by weariness or disappointment.

Kind Mr and Mrs Houghton pressed her to remain with them, and to go on
to Jamaica in the frigate. They feared, with good reason, that Stella
would be exposed to all sorts of dangers if she accompanied the colonel;
they had no confidence in his schemes, and they thought him very wrong
in wishing to take her with him, though they did not tell her so.

"I will assist you, my dear, to get over one of your difficulties, for I
dare say you do not think it quite the thing to be alone on board the
frigate without a chaperone," exclaimed Mrs Houghton, coming into
Stella's room. "I have long promised to pay a visit to my daughter
Julia and her husband, whose estate is next to the Bradshaws, and I
intend to ask Captain Hemming to give me a passage. What do you say,
Stella? Your father cannot object to my plan--it is so evidently the
right one. Shall I tell him that you agree to it?"

It was a severe trial for Stella, but she was resolute in doing what she
believed to be her duty. She thanked Mrs Houghton warmly for her
kindness. She was, however, under orders. As a soldier's daughter she
had learnt obedience. Unless her father commanded her to remain at
Antigua, she must embark in the brig. What effect the arguments of
Alick Murray might have produced, it is impossible to say. He,
unfortunately, was detained by duty on board the corvette, and did not
reach the cottage till late in the evening, not aware of Colonel
O'Regan's altered plans. He was thunderstruck when he heard of them,
and very much inclined to quarrel with the colonel, who did not seem to
be aware that he was inducing his daughter to make any unusual
sacrifice.

Thanks to Mrs Houghton's management, Alick and Stella were alone for a
short time. She did not disguise from him how much the parting cost
her, but entreated him to keep up his spirits in the hope that they
mi