ry Chilton and not I
was first of all the women to leap upon the rock we call our threshold;
and oh John, tell her how I am orphaned of father and mother and
brother, and even the dear old servant who carried me in his arms, and
many a time in Leyden walked behind us three malapert maids--oh me, oh
me!"--

She turned away to the window and bowed her face in her hands,
smothering the sobs that she could not quite restrain. John sat still,
looking at her, his own eyes dim and his face very pale. At this moment
the door was suddenly thrust open, and Standish entered the room
exclaiming,--

"Is Alden here?"

"Ay, Captain," replied the young man rising and coming forward. Standish
cast a hasty glance at the figure of the young girl, another at the
young man's face, and motioned him to follow outside.

"Hast thou done aught to offend Mistress Molines?" demanded he as John
drew the door close after him.

"Not I," replied he somewhat indignantly. "She asked me to write for her
to some maid of her acquaintance in Leyden, and when it came to telling
of her orphanage and desolate estate her woman-heart gave way, and she
was moved to tears."

"Ay, ay, poor child! 'T is sad enow, but we will put all that right
presently--yes, I promised William Molines, and so let him die at ease,
and I will keep my word to the dead. A husband and a home, and haply a
troop of little rogues and wenches at her knees will soon comfort her
orphanhood, eh, John?"

"I know not, sir--I--doth she know of this compact betwixt her father
and you?"

"Come, now, thou 'rt not my father confessor, lad, nor yet my general,"
replied Standish with peremptory good humor. "Get thee back to thy
pencraft, and when it is done come to me at the Fort, I have work for
thee."

"Yes, sir." And the young man turned again into the house where
Priscilla, quite calm, but a little subdued in manner, awaited him.

"And now wilt thou set thy name at the foot, Priscilla?" asked the
scribe when the fourth side of the paper was nearly covered.

"Let me see. Ah, there is yet a little room. Say, 'My friendly
salutation to thy brothers, Jacques, Philip, and little Guillaume; and
now I think on 't, Jacques asked me to advise him if this were a good
place for a young man to settle, and as I promised, I will now bid thee
say that to my mind it is a place of goodly promise, and I were glad
indeed to see all my friends of the house of De la Noye coming hither in
the next ship.'