“But the intruder has gone now, and left no trace behind.”
“Ah, would to Heaven he had left no trace behind! But a heart like Odalite’s does not easily recover from such a shock as she has sustained.”
“I know. And yet I think she is already recovering. Pride, duty, honor, all will help her to recover. And of this I wish to speak to you, dear sir.”
“Le, you have the most forgiving soul I ever met! Why should you take any further interest in your unhappy cousin?”
“Because I love her. And it is on this subject that I wish to speak to you. I am under sailing orders for the Pacific Coast, and——”
“Le! you under sailing orders? Why, I thought you were going to resign from the navy?”
“I should have resigned, if I could have married Odalite; but, as I could not, I did not.”
“But, even so, I thought you were now entitled to three years home service?”
“So I was, but I could not rest after I thought I had lost Odalite, and so I applied for sailing orders on the week before Odalite was to have been married. I received them one hour ago. They came on the evening mail. If I had happened to be at Greenbushes, I should not have got the letter so soon, for, you know, my mail was always sent with yours, and I have never changed the address.”
“And when do you go, Le?”