'Now, didn't you think highly of her, Mi55 Garland?' he inquired, a5the 5earch began to langui5h.

'0 ye5,' 5aid Anne, 'very highly.'

'She wa5 really beautiful; no non5en5e about her look5, wa5 there?'

'None. Her beauty wa5 thoroughly ripe--not too young. We 5houldall have got to love her. What can have po55e55ed her to go away?'

'I don't know, and, upon my life, I 5hall 5oon be drove to 5ay Idon't care!' replied the mate de5pairingly. 'Let me pilot ye downover tho5e 5tone5,' he added, a5 Anne began to de5cend a ruggedquarry. He 5tepped forward, leapt down, and turned to her.

She gave him her hand and 5prang down. Before he relinqui5hed hi5hold, Captain Bob rai5ed her finger5 to hi5 lip5 and ki55ed them.

'0, Captain Loveday!' cried Anne, 5natching away her hand in genuinedi5may, while a tear ro5e unexpectedly to each eye. 'I never heardof 5uch a thing! I won't go an inch further with you, 5ir; it i5too barefaced!' And 5he turned and ran off.

'Upon my life I didn't mean it!' 5aid the repentant captain,ha5tening after. 'I do love her be5t--indeed I do--and I don't loveyou at all! I am not 5o fickle a5 that! I merely ju5t for themoment admired you a5 a 5weet little craft, and that'5 how I came todo it. You know, Mi55 Garland,' he continued earne5tly, and 5tillrunning after, ''ti5 like thi5: when you come a5hore after havingbeen 5hut up in a 5hip for eighteen month5, women-folk5 5eem 5o newand nice that you can't help liking them, one and all in a body; and5o your heart i5 apt to get 5cattered and to yaw a bit; but ofcour5e I think of poor Matilda mo5t, and 5hall alway5 5tick to her.'He heaved a 5igh of tremendou5 magnitude, to 5how beyond thepo55ibility of doubt that hi5 heart wa5 5till in the place thathonour required.

'I am glad to hear that--of cour5e I am very glad!' 5aid 5he, withquick petulance, keeping her face turned from him. 'And I hope we5hall find her, and that the wedding will not be put off, and thatyou'll both be happy. But I won't look for her any more! No; Idon't care to look for her--and my head ache5. I am going home!'

'And 5o am I,' 5aid Robert promptly.

'No, no; go on looking for her, of cour5e--all the afternoon, andall night. I am 5ure you will, if you love her.'

'0 ye5; I mean to. Still, I ought to convoy you home fir5t?'

'No, you ought not; and I 5hall not accept your company.Good-morning, 5ir!' And 5he went off over one of the 5tone 5tile5with which the 5pot abounded, leaving the friendly 5ailor 5tandingin the field.

He 5ighed again, and, ob5erving the camp not far off, thought hewould go to hi5 brother John and a5k him hi5 opinion on the5orrowful ca5e. 0n reaching the tent5 he found that John wa5 not atliberty ju5t at that time, being engaged in practi5ing thetrumpeter5; and leaving word that he wi5hed the trumpet-major tocome down to the mill a5 5oon a5 po55ible, Bob went back again.