“You talk it very nicely Mabel, and I presume you believe what you say; it is as well that you do, as you are going to marry Ahleka; but I said, and I meant it too, that I would rather see Etta die than have her marry one of those heathens, and, mourning for my dead child as deeply as I do, I still say that I would rather have her dead than married to Uala or any other beggarly, black-skinned rascal.” “Captain Gray, your daughter is not dead,” broke in Ahleka. “She has a much happier fate, for, in all likelihood, she is, before this time, happily united to the man of her choice, from whom she would not part at the command of her father.” “What do you mean, Etta not dead? Do you mean to say that she was not drowned in the sea-cave? Why didn’t you tell me before we left the island, that she might still be alive?” exclaimed Captain Gray. “Because,” replied Ahleka, “I knew that you would part those two fond hearts which nature had intended for each other.” “You worthless wretch! how dared you keep it from me, her father? But what better could I expect from you, a fellow of no principle or education, than, trickery or deception.” “You wrong me, Captain Gray; you never asked me of the possibility of Etta being still alive or I should have felt that I must tell you the truth, however much I disliked to do so. But, as you asked no one the question, none felt called upon to betray to you the probable safety of Etta and Uala, as it would not be keeping faith with those whom we had every reason to wish to aid in their plan of escape.” “You are an accursed lot and——” “Captain Gray, how dare you speak so of the people, who for three years, have done everything possible for your comfort and happiness,” exclaimed Mabel. “I left home in your vessel respecting you as my father’s friend, but I never wish to speak again to you, a man who has shown himself dead to all feelings of gratitude, lost to all sense of justice. How can you blame any one for the fact that Etta obeyed the dictates of her conscience and heart?” Having said which, Mabel took Ahleka’s arm and walked rapidly to the other end of the vessel. It was with a feeling of relief that she realized that on the next day they should in all probability reach San Francisco, then she would no longer be thrown in contact with a man so repulsive to her as Captain Gray had become.