He paused at the door, and bowed to our heroine with an air of the utmost respect, and he was altogether lost in the admiration of Inez’s beauty. Her cheeks had become flushed immediately on her hearing the message from Jenkins, and her heart palpitated violently against her side with rekindled hopes.
‘Miss,’ at last observed Jenkins, in a respectful tone of voice; ‘I have no doubt suffered much in your opinion, from the part which I at first unfortunately enacted in the plot against you by your enemy, Blodget.’
Our heroine attempted to reply, but she was too much confused to do so, and Jenkins continued,
‘I am now, however, anxious to make all the reparation in my power, by restoring you to liberty and your friends!’
Inez uttered an exclamation of mingled delight and gratitude, and instantly sunk at the feet of Jenkins, and while the tears gushed from her eyes, she sobbed:
‘Oh, thanks! thanks! kind sir, for this—’
Jenkins interrupted her, and gently raised her from her knees.
‘Nay, my dear lady,’ he said, ‘I merit not your thanks; for, probably, had it not been for a certain discovery I by accident made, I might still have taken no interest in your fate.’
‘A discovery!’ repeated Inez, with a look of astonishment.
‘Ay,’ answered the captain; ‘that you are the daughter of one who once befriended me.’