rest after I thought I had lost Odalite, and so
I applied for sailing orders on the week before Odalite was to have been
married. I received them one hour ago. They came on the evening mail. If I
had happened to be at Greenbushes, I should not have got the letter so
soon, for, you know, my mail was always sent with yours, and I have never
changed the address."

"And when do you go, Le?"

"I must join my ship at New York on the fourth of January. I must leave
here on the second."

"The day after New Year's Day. That is very sudden."

"Yes; and I do regret it. If I had known--if I could have foreseen
events--I should have carried out my first intentions, and resigned from
the service, instead of applying for sailing orders; but now that I have
applied, and have received them, I must go, much as I regret to do so. I
must not seem to trifle with the department or shirk my duty."

"Certainly not, lad. And, under present circumstances, perhaps it is best
that you go. You and Odalite are young, lad, and can well afford to wait a
little longer. When you return from your voyage, Le, the disgraceful drama
which has been enacted by this man Anglesea will have been forgotten.
Odalite will have long recovered the shock to her spirit, and will be in a
better condition to listen to a proposal from you, which it would be
indiscreet, to say the least, for you to make her at present."

"I see that, sir; I feel it; and that reconciles me to the idea of going
to sea again. The utmost favor I plead for now is that you will permit me
to see Odalite, to have a private interview with her. I shall not wound
her by hinting at the hope hidden in the bottom of my heart--the hope of
winning her hand some day; but I wish to ask her to correspond with me
during my absence, as with a trusted relation or a true brother. Do you
think, sir, that there can be any objection to my making such a request of
my cousin?"

"None whatever, my dear boy. You have my fullest approval of your course,
and my warmest wishes for your success."

"Thank you, Uncle Abel."

"And we will yet hope that the dream of your love and of my ambition may
be fulfilled in the union of yourself and Odalite in a happy marriage, and
the consolidation of Mondreer and Greenbushes in one great manor."

"May Heaven grant it, Uncle Abel!"

"But, my boy, I wish you to speak to Odalite's mother also on this
subject. She must be taken into our counsels."

"Oh, most certainly. I sh