"I wish he were in Liverpool _now_" said I. "When he does arrive, I will make him prove himself a liar. Lenore! I have ever been treated with the greatest kindness by your father and mother. It is not in my nature to be either ungrateful or dishonest. Your father's ship was my home, I did not leave that home without good reason. I was turned out of it by the very villain who has accused me. I shall stay in Liverpool until he returns; and when I have exposed him, and proved myself still worthy of your friendship, I shall again go forth upon the world with a light heart, as I can with a clear conscience." Requesting Lenore to tell her mother that she had been deceived--and that I should stay in Liverpool till I proved that such was the case--I arose to take my departure. I lingered only to add: that I would not again annoy them with my presence until the return of the ship--when I should challenge Adkins to appear before them, and prove him guilty of the very crimes he had charged against myself--ingratitude and dishonesty. With this promise did I close my interview with Lenore. Volume One, Chapter XI. ON THE TRACK OF MR LEARY. After leaving Mrs Hyland's house, I had much to occupy my thoughts. The principal subject that engaged their attention was the wonderful beauty of Lenore. She was beautiful; and she professed to be my friend. But while I felt a consoling pride in possessing the friendship of one so lovely, there was much that was unpleasant in the thought that her mother could, even for an instant, have believed me guilty of the grave charges brought against me by Adkins. To be thought ungrateful by one who had treated me with so much kindness, and more especially one who was the mother of Lenore, was a reflection full of bitterness. Adkins had now done enough to make me his deadly enemy. He had never used me well aboard ship; and would have caused me still more trouble there had he not been restrained by his fear of Captain Hyland. He had turned me out of the ship in New Orleans. He had returned to Liverpool, and accused me of the basest of crimes. But what was still more unpleasant to dwell upon; he was endeavouring to deprive me of what was of almost equal consequence with my character--of her whom I had hoped might one day become my wife. Yes, there could be no doubt of the fact. He was trying to win Lenore. This last I could scarce look upon as a crime on his part. To aspire to win one so lovely was no crime; and one who should do so would only be acting as Nature commanded. But at that time, I did not view it in this light; and the idea of Edward Adkins aspiring to the hand of Lenore Hyland was proof to me that he was the vilest wretch that ever encumbered the earth. For a while, I forgot my hatred for Mr Leary in my dislike to Mr Adkins. Hatred with me had never before reached a thirst for revenge; but to this degree of hostility had it attained, within an hour after leaving Lenore.