"Good-bye, Alick! My last thoughts will be of you and my last prayer that God will bless you. If I could only see you for a minute I think I should be satisfied. But if you can't come, write and say you forgive me. It has been all through my love for you that I am here, so think the best of me."
Bessie signed the letter, filling up the remaining space with crosses, and then wrote with her own hand—
"P.S.—It's a weak to-day, so if anything is to be done there's no time to lose."
Fenella saw through the girl's pitiful subterfuge, but knew well that Gell could do nothing. There was only one man in the island who could have saved Bessie, and that was the Judge who had tried her.
Why hadn't he?
All the way home in the train Fenella asked herself this question. The only answer she could find was that Stowell was afraid of offending the Governor, owing so much to him. But oh, if he had only resisted her father in this case—standing up against him and fearing no one—how she would have loved him!
She found Government House shuddering with awe, as if a tornado had swept through it and gone. At length Miss Green explained what had happened. Mr. Stowell had called to see the Governor and been turned out of the house!
Hardly had she reached her room when her father followed her into it.
"I suppose you know that Stowell has been here?" he said.
"Yes. What did he come for?"