"But I don't know what to say about this, Dutch," said Hester, playfully, as she made an effort to be gay and shake off the lassitude that seemed to oppress her. "Report says, sir, that Miss Bessy Studwick was very fond of a certain gentleman we know." "Poor Bessy!" said Dutch, thoughtfully. "Poor Bessy, sir. Then it is all true?" "What--about Bessy Studwick, darling? Well, I think it was. It sounds conceited of me to say so, but I believe it was the case. But," he added, drawing her to him, "this certain gentleman only had one heart, and a certain lady took possession of it all. Hester, my darling, I never in my life had loving thought about more than one woman, and her I love more dearly every day." She closed her eyes, and the tears gathered beneath her lids as he pressed her to his heart and sighed gently. Miss Studwick's name was mentioned no more that night. The time passed quickly, away, and the Thursday came. Dutch had been so fully occupied, and so determined not to listen to the promptings of his fancy, as he called it, that he refused to take any notice of the way in which the Cuban had settled down in his house. From being all eager now to get the expedition fitted out, and ready to be pettish and impatient with Mr Parkley and Dutch for their careful, deliberate preparations, he seemed now quite careless, pleading indisposition, and spending the greater part of his time at the cottage. The dinner passed off most pleasantly, and the table was made bright by the magnificent flowers the Cuban had purchased as his offering to the feast, and by the rich fruit Mr Parkley had added in his rough pleasant way, coming down to the cottage with a heavy basket on his arm, and smiling all round as he dabbed his lace and head, hot with the exertion. To the great delight of Dutch, he saw that quite a liking had sprung up between his wife and Bessy Studwick, both evidently trying hard to let him see that they indulged in no thoughts of the past; while the Cuban ceased his attentions to Hester, and taking Bessy down to dinner, heaped his foreign, nameless little results of polish upon the tall, Juno-like maiden. The only person in the party who looked grave was John Studwick, who watched all this with uneasy glances, though it must be said that he seemed just as much annoyed when Mr Meldon, the young doctor, was speaking to his sister. He lacked no attentions, though, himself, for, compassionating the state of the invalid's health, both Dutch and Hester tried hard to make the meeting pleasant to him. "The little wife looks ill, Pugh," said Mr Parkley, as they went in to dinner. "You ask Mr Meldon his opinion about her by-and-by. Our coming worries her." "I'll ask her if she's poorly or worried," said Dutch smiling. "Hester!" She came up to him looking pale and startled, but he did not notice it. "Mr Parkley thinks you wish all the visitors anywhere," said Dutch playfully.