weakness.

"It ain't altogether Martha," he exclaimed in tones suddenly grown
deliberate. "It's you, your ladyship, that I particular came to see. You
ain't fit to take care of yourself, and there ain't nobody but me and
Martha that I can lay hands on now to help--nobody but just us two. I'm
not here to judge nobody. I know what's happened and what you're going
through, and you've got to let me lend a hand. If I lived to be a
hundred I could never forget his lordship's kindness to me, and things
can't go on as they are with you. There is a way out of it if you only
knew it."

She threw back her head quickly. "Not my Father?"

"No, not your father. Although his lordship would haul down his colors
mighty quick if once he saw you as I do now. But there are others who
would be glad to take a hand at the wheel and help you steer out of all
this misery. You ain't accustomed to it and you don't deserve it, and
I'm going to put a stop to it if I can." This last came with still
greater emphasis--the first mate was speaking now.

"Thank you, Stephen. You and Martha are very much alike. She has the
loyalty of an old servant, and you have the loyalty of an old friend.
But we must all pay for our mistakes--" she halted, drew in her breath,
and added, picking at her dress, "--and our sins. Everybody condemns us
but God. He is the only one who forgets, when we are sorry."

"Not so many remember as you may think, your ladyship. Some of 'em have
forgotten--forgotten everything--and are standing by ready to catch a
line or man a boat."

"Yes, there are always kind people in the world."

"Well, there mayn't be such an awful lot of 'em as you think, but I know
one. There's Mr. Felix, for instance, who--"

She sprang to her feet, her hands held out as a barrier, and stood
trembling, staring wildly at him, all the blood gone from her cheeks.
"Stop, Stephen! Not another word. You must not mention that name to me.
I cannot and will not permit it. I have listened too long already. I am
very grateful for your kindness and for your offers to me, but you must
not touch on my private affairs. I am earning my own living, and I shall
continue to do so. And now I would like to be alone."

"But, your ladyship, I've got something to tell you which--"

Martha stepped between them. "I think, Stephen, you'd better not talk to
her ladyship any more. You might come some other night when she's more
rested. You see she's had a very bad day and--"