‘And so all my entreaties are in vain?’ said Mr Courtney, as he rose to go.
‘Yes, sir; I shall remain here; and honestly, I do not believe you have any cause for fear.’
Yet she pondered over what he had told her all that day, not from any dread of her own safety, but endeavouring to think of some plan for getting Henri de Courcelles away before there was any possibility of his detection. For she felt that if the coolies on Beauregard did rise, and proceed to incendiarism or slaughter, Henri de Courcelles, who had been their tyrannical master in the days gone by, and their inciter to rebellion in the present, would be the first victim of their lawless passions. Her mind was still running on the same subject when the evening shadows closed, and Hugh Norris unexpectedly walked into the room.
Her first feeling at seeing him was one of such unmitigated pleasure, that she could not help betraying it.
‘Oh, Hugh—I mean, Captain Norris,’ she exclaimed, ‘are you really back again? I am so glad—I didn’t think—I was afraid that—’ and here she stopped, blushing for her incoherency.
‘Are you really glad?’ he said, taking her hand, and warmly pressing it, whilst his open countenance revealed his emotion. ‘Have you felt my absence, Lizzie? Have our two months of separation stretched themselves out to their full term?’
‘Indeed they have,’ she answered ingenuously. ‘I have been counting the days till you should return. For we have passed through a terrible time since you left us. But perhaps you have already heard of it.’
‘Indeed I have heard of it, Lizzie,’ he said gravely, ‘and I thank God that it was no worse. What should I have done had you been involved in this horrible catastrophe? But I am here, and you are safe, and I will not leave San Diego again until I take you with me. Was I not right in my forebodings?’
‘Partially so; but you see that no one has harmed me yet. What a quick passage you have made this time, Captain Norris.’
‘Very quick; but you may imagine that I wasted no more time in England than I could help, Lizzie. I was not out of sight of San Diego before I was longing to get back again, and, thanks to favourable winds, and an obliging supercargo, I have made the double passage in as short a time as is possible. But I found time to accomplish my heart’s desire, all the same.’