It was a solemn and sorrow-ridden party that boarded the _Priscilla_ an hour later. Mrs. Smith-Jones had seen them coming. Some intuitive sense may have warned her of the sorrow that lay in store for her upon their return. At any rate she did not meet them at the rail as in the past, instead she retired to her cabin to await her husband there. When he joined her he brought with him a half-naked young woman. Mrs. Smith-Jones looked upon the girl with ill concealed horror. Waldo's mother met the shock of her husband's news with much greater fortitude than he had expected. As a matter of fact she had been prepared for this from the first. She had never really believed that Waldo could survive for any considerable time far from the comforts and luxuries of his Boston home and the watchful care of herself. "And who is this--ah--person?" she asked coldly at last, holding her pince-nez before her eyes as with elevated brows she cast a look of disapproval upon Nadara. The girl, reading more in the older woman's manner than her words, drew herself up proudly. Mr. Smith-Jones coughed and colored. He stepped to Nadara's side, placing his arm about her shoulders. "She loved Waldo," he said simply. "The brazen huzzy!" exclaimed Mrs. Smith-Jones. "To dare to love a Smith-Jones!" "Come, come, Louisa!" ejaculated her husband. "Remember that she too is suffering--do not add to her sorrow. She loved our boy, and he returned her love." "How do you know that?" "She has told me," replied the man. "It is not true," cried Mrs. Smith-Jones. "It is not true! Waldo Emerson would never stoop to love one out of his own high class. Who is she, and what proof have you that Waldo loved her?" "I am Nadara," said the girl proudly, answering for herself, "and this is the proof that he loved me. He told me that this was the pledge token between us until we could come to his land and be mated according to the customs there." She held out her left hand, upon the third finger of which sparkled a great solitaire--a solitaire which Mrs. John Alden Smith-Jones recognized instantly. "He gave you that?" she asked. Then she turned toward her husband. "What do you intend doing with this girl?" she asked. "I shall take her back home," replied he. "She should be as a daughter to us, for Waldo would have made her such had he lived. She cannot remain upon the island. All her people were killed by the earthquake that destroyed Waldo. She is in constant danger of attack by wild beasts and wilder men. We cannot leave her here, and even if we could I should not do so, for we owe a duty to our dead boy to care for her as he would have cared for her--and we owe a greater duty to her." "I must be alone," was all that Mrs. Smith-Jones replied. "Please take her away, John. Give her the cabin next to this, and have Marie clothe her properly--Marie's clothes should about fit her." There was more of tired anguish in her voice now than of anger.