en, the
letter had not reached her.

"I suspect that she was afraid I might answer her letter, and she did
not like the idea of having to pay the return postage. It shows that
she does not consider my friendship worth ninepence."

Still I was surprised that Miss Rundle had not written, as she had so
positively promised to do. I could not exactly make it out. I found
that my aunt knew nothing of old Mrs Sandon and her niece. She was
very much interested with my description of the young lady. "So,
Willand," said she, "I hope you will go back to Plymouth and find her
out again. There are very many good girls in the world, but, like sweet
violets, they often bloom unseen, and it is not so easy to find them.
From what you tell me of her, and I can bring her clearly before my
mind's eye, she is just the sort of person to make a man a good wife,
and I hope that you may be able to win her." Now, when my aunt spoke
thus, I laughed, and said that I had not thought of settling, and that
it was not likely I should win a young lady like her, who was a great
deal too good to be the wife of a foremast man like me, and anything
else I never expected to be.

"You need not say that, Willand," replied Aunt Bretta. "I have
something to say to you on that subject. You must know, Willand, that
your father left some money to your grandmother for her life, and
afterwards it was to go to you; but when you were supposed to be dead I
took possession of it. Now, my dear boy, that you have come back, your
uncle and I have been preparing to give it up to you. It is yours by
every law of right, so do not say a word about it. We can manage very
well without it."

"Indeed, I will not deprive you of a farthing of it, dear aunt!" I
exclaimed. "I would rather go to sea for a dozen years longer and never
come back again, than take the bread out of your mouths. I won't take
it, so don't be pressing it on me. I have got plenty without it.
There, take care of that." And I gave her the cash I had been carrying
in my pocket. "You can make me your heir, if you like, and I hope it
will be a very long time before I come into my fortune."

My uncle soon after came in, and we had a long talk over the matter. I
succeeded at last in making them keep the money. The fact was, I knew
myself better than they knew me, and I felt pretty certain that some day
or other I might spend it all, and nobody would be the better for it.
This affair settled,