"But I must; I have promised Quentin and Hall, and I cannot break my word. I would gladly give half I possess to get out of it; but I little guessed this afternoon, when Quentin asked me to go and I said 'Yes,' that I would so soon have such very strong reasons for saying 'No.'"
"I wish they would let you off; I have a presentiment about the Nicobars."
"Presentiment of what?"
"I cannot say, but of something bad. Do you believe in presentiments?" looking at him wistfully.
"No, and yet I should not say so! That night of the storm, when you ran down the pier steps and called me back, your voice and your face haunted me afterwards for days. I had a kind of conviction that I had met my fate, and so I had, you see! By the way, I wonder why you like me, Helen? or what you see in me?"
The young lady smiled, but said nothing.
"All the world can understand my caring for you, but I am, in one way, an utter stranger; you could not answer a single question about me, if you were asked! As far as appearances go, I am an idler, a mere time-killer, without friends, station, or money."
"If you are idle you will have to amend your ways——"
"And work for you as well as myself," he interrupted with a laugh.
"As to friends, I would say you could share mine, but then I have so few. Still——"