angry with her when he wrote? It meant that he doubted her.

In these terms he expressed himself:



"I write to you before my trial takes place. If the verdict goes
in my favor, I shall destroy what I have written. If I am found
guilty, I must leave it to you to do what I should otherwise have
done for myself.

"The undeserved misfortune that has overtaken me began with the
arrival of my ship in the port of Rio. Our second mate (his duty
for the day being done) asked leave to go on shore--and never
returned. What motive determined him on deserting, I am not able
to say. It was my own wish to supply his place by promoting the
best seaman on board. My owners' agents overruled me, and
appointed a man of their own choosing.

"What nation he belonged to I don't know. The name he gave me was
Beljames, and he was reported to be a broken-down gentleman.
Whoever he might be, his manner and his talk were captivating.
Everybody liked him.

"After the two calamities of the loss of the ship and the
disappearance of the diamonds--these last being valued at five
thousand pounds--I returned to England by the first opportunity
that offered, having Beljames for a companion.

"Shortly after getting back to my house in London, I was