“Forgot!” exclaimed the sailor, kissing the hand held out to him; “that would be impossible. St. Patrick, if William were here, he would no longer say you were—hem—hem——”
Commander O’Loughlin coughed; he was on the point of saying his friend Thornton thought the beautiful girl before him was plain.
Mabel laughed; and shaking her head, she said playfully—
“Oh, I know that dear William thinks his little sister is plain. What then? Beauty is not the lot of all.”
“Beauty!” exclaimed O’Loughlin; “by the immortal gods——”
“Take care,” exclaimed Agatha Volney, shaking her finger at her lover, “how you call upon the immortal gods in speaking of the beauty of any other fair one, except your liege lady’s; so sit down, quietly and contentedly, and tell us about yourself and friend, and relate all your wonderful adventures.”
The delighted O’Loughlin sat down beside his fair betrothed, with Mabel on the other side, and commenced a recital of the several events that had occurred since their separation.
Before he had concluded Madame Volney and Mr. Stanmore were announced.
Mr. Stanmore informed his friends of the arrival of the frigate from the Cape, saying—
“I am happy to tell you she brings all the necessary documents, papers, &c., that I was so very anxious about. Most fortunately, or rather, providentially, my letters reached Sir Oscar before his death, and their contents imparted to his last hours soothing gratification and consolation, and his life was spared to complete and sign every necessary paper before proper witnesses. I will show you by-and-by his letter to me. It seems he was not aware that his sister was alive and had married a Mr. Granby Arden, and afterwards became Duchess of Coulancourt, by a second marriage with a French duke, and that she had a daughter living. He made his will, drawn up by an eminent solicitor at the Cape, and finally disposed of his immense property, acknowledging with grateful thanks the goodness of Providence in permitting him to recognise and acknowledge William Thornton as his son and heir.”