"'Twas for you--for you I did it--reproach me not; nay, you shall not!" she cried, on fire to defend herself and her love, now the truth was told. "Captain Jones said six hours' delay and you were saved. There was no other way. I begged, implored, entreated the admiral--he left me; went away--I saw the man fixing that block--the rope--I ran to him to make one more appeal--he was not there. On his desk was an order giving me permission to see you, which he had intended to give me and had refused at the last moment and left unsigned. His watch was there and his seal. I added the rest and signed and sealed it myself; do not shrink from me!" she pleaded with changed mood again. "Your anger--your disapproval--kills me. Is there no excuse that you can find for me?" Her appeal was so tender, her affection so apparent, she was her own justification.
"No man would have done it," he said irresolutely, wavering.
"But every woman would," she replied promptly, pressing her advantage. "Why are you so silent; Your precious honor is safe, and as for mine--"
"'Twas nobly done," he answered at last, in complete surrender. "There is not a woman in the world but would honor you for it; not a man who would not love you. You have done that which I could not, and for me. My heart before, and now my life is yours, my heart's dearest."
"I knew you would not like it," she answered simply, "but there was no other way. I confess I was terrified when Edward--"
"Good heavens!" cried O'Neill. "He saw the order?"
"Yes," said the girl, cowering before him again. In truth, this phase of the transaction had actually escaped her memory.
"Captain Pearson accepted it without questioning him?" he queried. She would have given all the world to lie to him, but even in the darkness she could not be further untrue, in his very presence, though now like a flash she saw it all.
"He--he doubted it," she whispered hesitatingly. "He handed the paper to Edward, and asked him if it--if it was all right."
"And Coventry?"