"He deceived me purposely," he thought, and then, as he realized more and more that Jessie was not married, he said aloud, "I am so glad, so glad." "You must have good news," the captain suggested, and Walter answered: "Yes, blessed news," then as there came over him a strong desire to talk of the good news with some one, he continued: "Tell me, Captain Murdock, have I talked of Jessie Graham?" The captain started, for he had not thought of Jessie as the daughter of Richard Graham. "Yes," he answered, "you said that she was married." "But she isn’t," interrupted Walter. "It was a lie imposed upon me by that false-hearted William Bellenger." "You spoke of him, too," said the captain, "and I fancied he might be your cousin. You see I am tolerably well posted in your affairs," and the pleasant smile which accompanied these words, disarmed Walter at once from all fear that his secrets would be betrayed. "What else did you learn?" he asked, and the captain replied: "There is some trouble about your father. He robbed a bank, didn’t he?" and there was a strange look in the keen eyes which did not now rest on Walter’s face, but sought the floor as if doubtful of the answer. "Never, never!" Walter exclaimed, with an energy which brought the blood to his pale cheek, and tears to the eyes riveted upon the carpet. "He never did that." "He has been proved innocent, then?" and in the voice which asked the question there was a trembling eagerness. "Not proved so to the world, but I need no proof," returned Walter. "I never for a moment thought him guilty." Then after a pause, he added. "I have, I see, unwittingly divulged much of my family history, and lest you should have received a wrong impression, I may as well confess the whole to you, but not now, I am too much excited, too tired to talk longer." He was indeed exhausted, and for several hours he lay quite still, saying but little and thinking happy thoughts of home and _Jessie_, who Mr. Graham wrote, "mourned sadly over his absence." Suddenly remembering the message he had left, and which would seem to say he loved Charlotte Reeves, he bade the captain bring to him pen and paper, and with a shaking hand he wrote to Mr. Graham: "I am getting better fast, thanks to Captain Murdock, who, though a stranger, has been the best of friends, and kindest nurse. Forgive me, Mr. Graham. I thought the bride was Jessie. Don’t hate me, I could not help it, and I had learned to love her before I heard from Mrs. Bartow that you would be displeased. I will overcome it if I can, for I promised the grandmother I would not talk of love to Jessie, until my father was proved innocent."