New-York tribune., 1884-01-27
CHAPTFR NXXI.
IN TnE NORIHEAsT TEADE,.

IN THE NORTHEAST TRADES.
Florence and could not be aboard a ship fall of
people aud 50 manage our behavior ~ to escape
their detection OF the truth 1t would have been
impossible. We were put down people who had
fallen in love at first sight; but it does not take
folks long get used 10 things at and our bell
seen together every day, ! was almost writing every
hour soon made stale a. objects Of curiosity,
though Daniel told me that at the beginning OF the
voyage some Of the passengers were fond oi asking
questions about Us Mrs. Marmadulie Mortimer and
Mrs OBrien in particular; but of course he did not
choose 10 know anything beyond that we were going
To Australia in his ship and that was an old friend
of his whom hc had lost sight of for years But. as
have before said. neither Florence nor / allowed
the inspection inquistivenesS OF orr cuddy-c0m-
panions to trouble us. But for Aunt Damaris they
wonld have been heartily welcome to the whole
story Yet although the old lady had not the least
imaginable suspicion that | was anybody else but
the Mr. John EgertonI represented myself as being,
she was not likely to be binder to what was hap
peninq befwixt her niece and me than the others;
and this being So il looked unc0mmOny TO me az If
natter, were drawing up to a head. when Florence
told me- next morning ut breakfast, that she had in
formed her aunt that it was |, and not Captain
Thompson whom she had been on deck with during
the previous evening. The old lady was breakfast
ing in her cabin, and Florence took her place be-
tween ne and Daniel, and that's how it was hap
pened mt that meal to hear what had passed be-
tween them after my sweetheart went below
Aunt Damars." said Florence, d" was IN bed, but
wide awake. What has been keeping your she
asked How late yOu are! 1t Is too bad that Cap
tain Thompson should detain you for more than an
hour in the damp night alr You promised not to be
longer than twenty minutes l answered: Mr..
l. ;ni,,. al |
with him And with the captain also ? No, the
captain went to bed shortly after he had brought
me on deck On this. Florence said, there was
silence that surprised her. she expected her aunt
would have angrily snapped ont at her for being
alone in the dark OF deck with young man. " MIR.
Tpcrton" she said at last. seems to have fallen in
love with you" d" think he has. replied Florence,
in the simple way could perfectly imagine ia her.
" And are YOU in love with him :" asked Aunt Da-
mariS. &" | like him very much replied Florence.
and really don't see why should not, con3lderI
ing how warmly you have praised him to me-
certainly have praised HIM, SAID Aunt Dam1rls;
and | think he deserves it. He acted very nobly
in saving Mrs Ioyce'5 little child and hs behavior
ON that occasion shows that he possesses some very
rcrtOriOus qualities. lie ~ quite Il gtnttcnan--lt
least. think him So and his manner toward me Is
full of mOdesty respectfulncsS and good ttete. lie
tells that hs father IS solicitor but ne Is re
ticcut on the subject of his connections. do not
think hc 1, relative Of Lord EsertOns 5; lee would
say so If he were. | fancy your papa would IKE
him At all events, he l. the very antpOdes ot slr.
Morrc0uhc which, after my experience OF that
wretch, is the most pleasing thing could desire III
Il Young man. Are you encouraging INN, J. lOr-
ence ~ Well, aunt. like him., replied Florence;
and when ono likes Il person one can heip ENJOY
inc his cOmpanyr Here Aunt llamaris fell silent
awhile. and then said: 4" don't know what to do,
I'm sure I'm in your p3pis place. and Shonld like
to counsel You a. he would ! certainly think Mr.
Errrton gentleman. and an agreeable young man.
But pray don't encourage hun too polntedy, please
| want to know more of him. to see INTO ms char
acter aud ascertain his trme position IN society.
Il aIstTFl
about him. There Is plenty of tme the voyage IS
only begun and have invited him 10 call upon ne
at sydney. you know. =. .
comment upon II TO me was am saTc, Jack. from
n something ] cannot describe in her manner that
Lick seymour dear. Mr.. Morecombe Is lost To us,
Won see and my aunt will think, OF course, that
when | return 10 England shall carry with me q
be,-t uuchangpd for SOphie'S sailor cousin; and
consequently the genteel and evidently well-con-
rprted Mr. EgertOn would be 81 superior as lover
IN the Jack Seymour whom poor Aunt Dainaris has
hrcn made tD think of as vulgar insulting person,
that II is q question whether. IL J. choose tO accept
his refined attentions, ana to iall ia i0'e with hin
she ought TO interfere
This was like revelation 70 me; for, TO speak the
truth I was 50 puzzled by my own identity that
would quite forget that one reason Mr. Hawke had
in sending his daughter to AIStTaIa was 70 get rld
of me: while IL almost dehed me 10 realize that
Aunt Damaris would consider me, rs Jack Egcrt0n,
such a substitute for me Is Jack seymour as Would
lie very acceptable to Aphonso. who wanted breed
nr and name in a 1Ou see II j. hard 70 tllnk
of Yourself As two persons; but when my darling
with the sagacity of clever little woman, had IN
terpreed ono idea at least, that lay IN her auntS
mind. found on a sudden the old lady's polItencss
To- me and her apparent disregard OF my transparent
,1nent of her nieces company. vastly more IN
tcfligible than when explained merely by the err
cuustance of ny having borrowed an aristOcratlC
name and of knowing all about the plot which hao
brought her and her niece and MOrccOmbe together
in one ship. -.
We took the northeast trades in twenty;seyen
and half degrees north latitude aud carried theni
down 10 the parallel of Sierra Leone. IN al th1t
while nothing happened outside or inside the snip ~
call for particular notice never Iost chahCsip ne ~ ~
being with my darling. whether on deck OF III !ile
cuddy and my opportunities were perhaps M
nroyei by the circumstance of Amt DamaTis taxing
r cold that kept her IN her cabin ior week 'nou9h
do not know had she been well, that slo wouId
have checked my constant association Win Iorencc
Weforr She took cold her behavior TO rue was quite
gracious. and 80 far rs my darling ami were con
eerned. her attitude gave me the notion I1at she
had madr ND her mind 10 let things slide" Some,
times sLe would take her place between Daniel and
me- sometimes seat herself on Daniels right. with
canriciou sness that indicated mood not wholly re-
soiyca Whenever she sat next 20 me she would be
constantly making experiments In the shape OF
carelessly put questions touching my past life.
cannot remember that lbbed; hope didn't;