s it appears to be. Well, never mind, Charlie
dear; your very startling, unexpected, and vehement declaration will not
produce the effect you seem to have feared, because, you see, it so
happens that _I return your love_--how could it possibly be
otherwise?"--her tone changing from tenderness to pride--"what woman
whose heart is free could possibly fail to love a man whose devotion is
what yours is, and has been, to me? Yes, dearest, I love you with my
whole heart; and I am proud to think that, despite all my waywardness
and shortcomings, you have contrived to discover in me something worth
loving. But _this_ is not what has been worrying you so terribly this
last few days--tell me what it is; I have a _right_ to know, now!"

"Yes," I assented, "you certainly have; but it is terrible news,
Florence, and I scarcely know in what words to communicate it to you.
Yet, be assured of this, my sweet, that, with the new courage that you
have just imparted to me, I will overcome this peril that looms ahead of
us, deadly though it be!"

And therewith I related to my sweetheart all that had passed between
Harry and myself, at the same time directing her attention to the fact
that this grisly peril was still a long way ahead of us; that it was a
far cry from where we were to the Horn; and that even after we had
rounded that wild headland, practically the whole stretch of the eastern
coast of South America would have to be traversed before the time would
be ripe for the villains to carry out their devilish scheme of murder
and destruction. And then I strove to comfort her by directing her
attention to the chances of escape that might befall us, the ships we
should be certain to encounter--with the possibility of being able to
surreptitiously communicate with one or more of them, craving
assistance--and of my determination--as a last resource--to cast away
the ship and take our chance of being able to escape in one of the boats
during the confusion, rather than tamely navigate her to the spot that
should be selected by those fiends for the deed of destruction.

As I told her of the fate that had been planned for us, I saw her blanch
to the lips, and her eyes grow wide and glassy with horror; but
presently her colour returned and her mouth set in firm, resolute lines;
and when at length I ceased to speak, she said:

"My poor Charlie, no wonder that you look worn and worried! But take
courage, dear; I cannot believe that God wil