wedlock, thanks be to Christianity and civilization. You can't force me
to have Grim, and you had as well give up the wicked purpose," or words
to that effect.

One day when she had said something of the sort, the commodore answered,
cruelly:

"Very well, miss! I force no one, please to understand! But I afford my
protection and support only upon certain conditions, and withdraw them
when those conditions are not fulfilled! Neither you nor your mother had
any legal claim upon me. I was not in any way bound to feed and clothe
and house you for so many years. I did it with the tacit understanding
that you were to marry to please me, and all your life you have
understood, as well as any of us, that you were to wed Dr. Grimshaw."

"If such an understanding existed, it was without my consent, and was
originated in my infancy, and I do not feel and I will not be in the
least degree bound by it! For the expense of my support and education,
uncle! I am truly sorry that you risked it upon the hazardous chance of
my liking or disliking the man of your choice! But as I had no hand in
your venture, I do not feel the least responsible for your losses. Yours
is the fate of a gambler in human hearts who has staked and lost--that
is the worst!"

"And by all the fiends in fire, Minion! you shall find that it is
not the worst. I know how to make you knuckle under, and I shall do
it!" exclaimed the commodore in a rage, as he rose up and strode off
toward the room occupied by Mary L'Oiseau. Without the ceremony of
knocking, he burst the door open with one blow of his foot, and entered
where the poor, feverish, frightened creature was lying down to take a