old Mrs. Presty--was afraid to face him again. "He's
fond of the child," she suggested; "let's send Kitty."

Some little girls were at play close by who knew where Kitty was to
be found. In a few minutes more they brought her back with them. Mrs.
Presty gave the child her instructions, and sent her away proud of
her errand, and delighted at the prospect of visiting the Captain by
herself, as if she "was a grown-up lady."

This time the period of suspense was soon at an end. Kitty came running
back. "It's lucky you sent me," she declared. "He wouldn't have opened
the door to anybody else--he said so himself."

"Did you knock softly, as I told you?" Mrs. Presty asked.

"No, grandmamma, I forgot that. I tried to open the door. He called
out not to disturb him. I said, 'It's only me,' and he opened the door
directly. What makes him look so pale, mamma? Is he ill?"

"Perhaps he feels the heat," Mrs. Presty suggested, judiciously.

"He said, 'Dear little Kitty,' and he caught me up in his arms and
kissed me. When he sat down again he took me on his knee, and he asked
if I was fond of him, and I said, 'Yes, I am,' and he kissed me again,
and he asked if I had come to stay with him and keep him company. I
forgot what you wanted me to say," Kitty acknowledged, addressing Mrs.
Presty; "so I made it up out of my own head."

"What did you tell him?"

"I told him, mamma was as fond of him as I was, and I said, 'We will
both keep you company.' He put me down on the floor, and he got up and
went to the window and looked out. I told him that wasn't the way to
find her, and I said, 'I know where she is; I'll go and fetch her.'
He's an obstinate man, our nice Captain. He wouldn't come away from the
window. I said, 'You wish to see mamma, don't you?' And he said 'Yes.'
'You mustn't lock the door again,' I told him, 'she won't like that';
and what do you think he said? He said 'Good-by, Kitty!' Wasn't it
funny? He didn't seem to know what he was talking about. If you ask my
opinion, mamma, I think the sooner you go to him the better." Catherine
hesitated. Mrs. Presty on one side, and Kitty on the other, led her
between them into the house.

Chapter LII. L'homme propose, et Dieu dispose.

Captain Bennydeck met Catherine and her child at the open door of the
room. Mrs. Presty, stopping a few paces behind them, waited in the
passage; eager to see what the Captain's face might tell her. It told
her nothing.

But Catherine