and raised her face with a rainy smile
of trusting affection. "Nothing! I am lonely. So far from home; and--and
Dr. Pine hurt my arm. Look!"

She bared that shapely member as she spoke, and sure enough there were
three red marks on the white and shining flesh.

"The ruffian!" cried Blunt, "it's too bad." And after a hasty look
around him, the infatuated fellow kissed the bruise. "I'll get the
laudanum for you," he said. "You shan't ask that bear for it. Come into
my cabin."

Blunt's cabin was in the starboard side of the ship, just under the poop
awning, and possessed three windows--one looking out over the side, and
two upon deck. The corresponding cabin on the other side was occupied
by Mr. Maurice Frere. He closed the door, and took down a small medicine
chest, cleated above the hooks where hung his signal-pictured telescope.

"Here," said he, opening it. "I've carried this little box for years,
but it ain't often I want to use it, thank God. Now, then, put some o'
this into your mouth, and hold it there."

"Good gracious, Captain Blunt, you'll poison me! Give me the bottle;
I'll help myself."

"Don't take too much," says Blunt. "It's dangerous stuff, you know."

"You need not fear. I've used it before."

The door was shut, and as she put the bottle in her pocket, the amorous
captain caught her in his arms.

"What do you say? Come, I think I deserve a kiss for that."

Her tears were all dry long ago, and had only given increased colour to
her face. This agreeable woman never wept long enough to make herself
distasteful. She raised her dark eyes to his for a moment, with a saucy
smile. "By and by," said she, and escaping, gained her cabin. It was
next to that of her mistress, and she could hear the sick child feebly
moaning. Her eyes filled with tears--real ones this time.

"Poor little thing," she said; "I hope she won't die."

And then she threw herself on her bed, and buried her hot head in the
pillow. The intelligence of the fever seemed to have terrified her. Had
the news disarranged some well-concocted plan of hers? Being near the
accomplishment of some cherished scheme long kept in view, had the
sudden and unexpected presence of disease falsified her carefully-made
calculations, and cast an almost insurmountable obstacle in her path?

"She die! and through me? How did I know that he had the fever? Perhaps
I have taken it myself--I feel ill." She turned over on the bed, as
if in pain, and then sta