confused, for I knew that questionings must follow which had been
spared me on shipboard.

"My father," I said, after a moment's hesitation, "I do not know
that you will understand my story, but I am sure that as a gentleman
you will believe it, and as a priest you will respect my confidence."

"I know many secrets; I have listened to many stories, my daughter;
yours will be none the less sacred that it comes of your own free
will, and not on account of my office."

Once I began, it was a relief. Since Lady Jane's death I had not
spoken freely to a human soul, and before I had gone far, I knew
I spake to one who understood.

When I told him of my guardian's death, of my utter loneliness, of
my longing to be near him who stood nearer to me than all else in
the world, I caught the murmur, "Poor child! poor child!" as he
bent over his dipping paddle, and these low words of sympathy
unsealed the last door of my heart, and I told him all without
reserve: How Lady Jane had diverted her inheritance from her natural
heir, Hugh, because he was withheld from writing to her by a sense
of delicacy which would have been felt by few; how she had taken
such offence at this during her illness that, unknown to me, she
had altered her will in my favour, depriving him even of her former
provision; how the same delicacy which had prevented him approaching
his wealthy kinswoman separated him from me, her heir; how his
first separation from Lady Jane had been a voluntary renunciation
of his own interest, to ensure what he supposed would be my happiness;
how he had, for my sake, performed a hundred sacrifices, which in
happier days had been the delight of Lady Jane, his cousin; how
all these things so worked on me that, knowing my love would neither
speak nor come to me, I had thrown aside all other considerations
save that I was bound to make restitution to one so unjustly wronged,
and who had so suffered for my sake. For this I had broken through
every barrier convention had set up, and, sure in his affection,
I had come forth alone under an assumed name; "for I am no Madame
de St. Just, mon pere, but Margaret Nairn, and he whom I love is
Hugh Maxwell, in garrison at Louisbourg.

"I know, mon pere, that many will point the finger of shame at me;
will say I am without decorum and without pride. But, my father,
I had been living without the love for which my soul had hungered
all these years, until the want became so strong that it swep