"Oh, I am glad to hear you say that!" she said. "Papa, has Chester said anything to you?" she asked.
"Yes; he has several times begged permission to tell you of his love and try to win yours. I have hitherto refused because of your youth, but shall now let him have his way."
* * * * *
"You are improving fast, and I hope will soon be able to be up and about again," the captain said to Chester, a few days later.
"Yes," said the young man, "I begin to feel as if I had taken a new lease of life and—ah, captain, if I could at last find such favor in your eyes that you would consent to——" His sentence was left unfinished.
"To letting you tell your tale of love?" Captain Raymond asked with a smile.
"Just that, sir. I cannot help fearing it may prove useless, but—anything is better than suspense; which I feel that I have hardly strength to endure any longer."
"Nor can I any longer ask that of you, since you have freely risked your life for hers," returned the captain with emotion. "Your nurse being out just now, this is a good opportunity, and I will bring my daughter to you and let you have it out," he concluded in a jesting tone, and left the room as he spoke.
Lucilla happened to be near at hand, and almost immediately her father had brought her to Chester's bedside. She knew nothing of the talk that had been going on, yet, remembering her conversation with her father a few days before, came to the bedside blushing and slightly embarrassed.
"I am very glad you are better, Chester," she said, laying her hand in his as he held it out to her. "What a hard, hard time you have had, and all because you risked your life to save mine."