steamer, had enabled her to purchase from Mrs. Williamson some plain
materials, which had been fashioned, by her own skilful fingers, into
neat and becoming attire. Her nicely-fitting brown stuff dress, relieved
by a linen collar of snowy whiteness, displayed to advantage her
graceful figure; her soft brown tresses were smoothly parted from her
fair forehead; and her fine intelligent countenance, on whose every
lineament refinement and sensibility were stamped, wore an expression of
sweet and touching resignation, and hope "subdued but cherished still;"
what marvel, then, that Ernest Clifford's steps were arrested, when he
beheld so lovely an apparition, and that he gazed upon her as though he
expected that the fair vision would soon vanish from his view. He had
watched her for a few moments unobserved, but when their glances met, he
marked, with increasing astonishment, her evident emotion, and pleased,
yet strangely puzzled, he could not find courage to seek admittance at
the cottage, but, retracing his steps, resolved to wait for an
introduction from the Captain.

It was with a good deal of surprise that the Captain and his wife beheld
Ernest advancing towards them.

"Was no one within," he inquired, "that you have come back so soon?"

"Really, Captain," was the reply, "I could not summon courage to knock
at the door and ascertain."

"Courage!" echoed the Captain, wondering as he marked the young man's
heightened color and evident embarrassment,--"courage to knock at a poor
fisherman's dwelling! Really, Mr. Clifford, your sojourn among these
barbarians must have been productive of no little injury to you, if it
has robbed you of that courage with which I am sure, from your