‘If—_what_?’ demanded Amy Herbert. He turned his eyes towards her, and a new hope ran through his veins like a reviving cordial. ‘Caleb, my dear old friend,’ he exclaimed tenderly, ‘leave me for five minutes to myself.’ ‘What! all alone with the lady?’ returned Caleb, regarding Miss Herbert as though she were a dangerous animal. ‘Yes, for one moment only. I have something to say for her ear alone.’ He had sprung off the berth in his excitement, and was about to quit the cabin. ‘Don’t go out, then, my dear boy, for mercy’s sake,’ said Williams, ‘for you’ve lost a deal of blood, and are weaker than you think for. Will you promise me?’ ‘I do promise, if you will only go.’ The old man shambled out of the cabin as he spoke, and the two were left alone. ‘I want so much to tell you,’ said Egerton, speaking with some difficulty, ‘what I had not the courage to say this morning, that I know it is not your fault. The blame rests entirely on me. It was my presumption—my madness, if you will—that led me on to speak to you as I did, and I acquit you of all blame. I know you feel for my disappointment now—and I thought it would make you easier to hear this—that is all.’ ‘Oh, if I could only make you understand!’ she sobbed. ‘Pray don’t distress yourself. I do understand it all. How can you help it if you find it impossible to love me?’ ‘But I do not—I mean, I can—that is to say, I did not mean—’ stammered the girl, colouring scarlet at the admission she had been betrayed into making. ‘Am I to understand that you did not mean what you said this morning?’ exclaimed the young man as he grasped her hand. ‘Amy, you have given me fresh life. Oh, do not take it back again! Say if you love me!’ Her maidenly bashfulness struggled for a moment with her probity, but the latter conquered. ‘Yes, I do love you! It was my egregious vanity and love of conquest that made me trifle with your feelings this morning. I have been very miserable ever since. I have hoped you would speak to me again, and when I saw you risk your life for my sake, I wished that I might have died for you instead.’ ‘O Amy, Amy! Your words are opening heaven to me. Darling, is it possible that you will be my wife?’ ‘If you can forgive my heartless rejection of you, Richard. If you can believe that I am true in saying that I hated each word even as I uttered it. If you still think me worthy of being your life-companion, I will give you a very different answer now.’ ‘You have made me the very happiest man on earth,’ he cried exultantly, as he folded her in his arms. ‘Lor’, sir!—I mean my boy, Dickey—you mus’n’t be a-goin’ on like this!’ exclaimed old Caleb, appearing on the scene when least expected. ‘The doctor’s particular orders was that you were to keep quiet and not bounce about.’