But they were spoken, and every tone of her voice, every glance of her eyes, every play of her features gave such unquestionable evidence of their truth that she never could have repudiated them. "Then, oh, my dearest one! why were you ever beguiled into consenting to marry that man--into thinking that you could possibly live with that man?" "Oh, Le, I was never for a moment beguiled! I never for one moment imagined that I could live with him. I knew I could not do so. I knew I should die under the upas tree of his hateful presence! I knew that it was my life I laid down to save others whom I did love!" "Odalite!" he exclaimed, amazed and overwhelmed by her passion. "Le! Oh, Le! I have told you more than I meant ever to have told any one! The truth burst from my heart unawares. Forget what I have said, Le! Oh, forget it!" "Never, never, never can I forget these words, dear Odalite! Those words that have revealed to me a glimpse of a soul braver, nobler, more self-immolating than I ever believed could live in the form of mortal man, not to say in that of a fragile girl," said the young man, fervently, earnestly. "Oh, dear Le, such overpraise humbles me! Let it pass! But, oh, my dear, as you unwittingly surprised my confidence, so respect it. Whisper it to no human being--no, not even to yourself in your moments of deepest solitude!" she pleaded. "I will not, my best beloved, my only love! I will not; but I will hide it in my heart as my secret, sacred treasure, to comfort me, to strengthen me, to elevate me in all places and circumstances of my life--in the long, long sea voyages, in the midnight watches on the deck, it shall be my hope, my solace and my consolation. Always with me, until I return to claim the greater, higher, better treasure that it promises!" exclaimed Le, with enthusiasm. "Oh, Le, you have twice spoken of the sea! But you will never go to sea again! You have resigned from the navy," she said, anxiously looking in his face for a confirmation of her words. "No, dear," he answered, very gently. "I have not resigned. I wish now that I had done so, but it is too late." "Oh, Le, why did you not, when you meant to do so?" "My darling, when I inherited Greenbushes, I fully intended to leave the navy, marry my betrothed, and settle down on our farm. But, when I came home and learned that she was to be married to some one else, I did the very opposite thing to resigning. I wrote to the department and asked for sailing orders, because I could not bear to stay in the neighborhood, or even in the country, after such a bitter disappointment." "Oh, my dear Le!" "Never mind, love. It will all come right now. I put Greenbushes in the hands of Beever and Copp, and waited to hear from the department. I received my sailing orders yesterday. That was the reason why I spoke to your father and asked for this interview." "Oh, Le! Le! can you not yet resign?" pleaded Odalite.