“Thank you, father, I will do so. Naturally, I wish to see and speak with _her_ before I do with anybody else,” said the younger man, rising. The commodore got up and led the way towards Emolyn’s chamber. In crossing the hall he encountered his nephew, Ronald Bruce, and immediately stopped and hailed him in a loud voice, saying: “Come here, you young scapegrace! I have got an errand for you! One suited to your vagrant mind!” Ronald came, smiling, and stood before his uncle, cap in hand. “The Lady of Edengarden cannot leave her room to-day; nor must her young companion, Miss Palmer, be left alone or with only colored servants on the island. Take the boat, therefore, and go to Edengarden, see the young lady, give my respects to her and ask her, in my name, if she will do us the favor to return with you and join her friend here, who is too much indisposed at present to leave The Breezes. And—tell her anything else you like, for I will not go back on my promise, do you hear, you mutinous young dog?” “I hear. ‘And to hear is to obey,’” said the lieutenant, laughing, as he bowed and bounded away to order his boat. “And pray who is the Lady of Edengarden?” inquired Lonny as they walked on. “Your Emolyn. The country people gave her this fantastic title because she has the most beautiful island home ever seen out of Paradise. It is near this place.” “And has Ronald a little love affair on the premises, as I should judge from your manner to him?” “Oh, yes! An innocent little love idyl with this lady’s adopted child, protégée, or pet, whichever she may be called—a love idyl against which I set my face for a whole summer, and for no other reason than the girl is Ronald’s inferior in birth and fortune, for in almost everything else she is his superior—I can tell you that.” “She must be an excellent girl to have won such favor from Emolyn,” said Leonidas Bruce thoughtfully.