dash into the village and roll up the great drive, between the rows of
poplars, it was whispered he had come. One who watched averred that only
the captain and a child not over a year and a half old alighted from the
coach. (The nurse came in another vehicle.) The child started another
rumor. She was a mysterious, unknown factor, and the gossips bandied the
captain's name about in a reckless manner. Good old dames shook their
heads knowingly and declared they had suspected the captain had a wife
all the time in some far-off city.

"You kin never depend on these sea-captains!" Mrs. Hammond declared.

But despite all their conjectures, the captain lived in the old stone
mansion house with his servants and Morgianna. A few weeks after his
arrival, she was christened at the village church as Morgianna Lane, her
parents not known.

Would wonders never cease? Bit by bit, the sensational story of
Morgianna got out into the village, and she became the object of the
greatest interest. Captain Lane adopted her, and when she became old
enough to accompany him, he seldom went away without her. Morgianna
loved the good old man, who, with all his rough seaman-like ways, was
father and mother both to her.

Never had daughter a kinder or more indulgent father.

As years went on, Morgianna grew in beauty, intelligence, grace and
goodness. Captain Lane was proud of her, and she was never so happy as
when sitting on his knee listening to his yarns of the sea. Her own sad,
dark story had never been told to her,--that was left for the future.