The lady looked at the speaker with serious attention and some perplexity, while Susan smiled merrily, displaying all her white teeth. At last the lady said: “You are under an error, Miss Brande. The note received by you was written by my attendant, Susan Copsewood. And I am the person who desires to lease a house.” “You, Madam?” “Myself—Mrs. Estel,” said the lady, placing the accent on the first syllable of her name. “You may show me the drawing, if you please, Miss Brande.” Barbara produced the drawing, and put it in the hands of Mrs. Estel. “Will you please to describe the place to me, while I look at the sketch, Miss Brande?” said the lady. Barbara complied, describing the situation of the house and the scenery of the Headland. “From the picture and your description, I think the place will suit me. You say, however, that the house is much out of repair?” “Very much, indeed Madam; it would take five weeks in time and labor, and five hundred dollars in money, to make it comfortable,” replied Barbary, in whose rustic estimation this sum seemed a very large amount. “But I am willing, Madam, to give up the rent as long as necessary for the repairs of the house. And I think, also, that the house could be made ready for you sooner than you could find another to suit you so well.” “I think that is very likely. You have full power to transfer the property?” “I am twenty-two years old, Madam, and I am the sole executor of my father’s will, and the sole guardian of my brothers.” The lady, on hearing this, now, for the first time raised her eyes, and looked full in the face of the strange girl. A tall, magnificently developed form, with no superfluous flesh to impede activity; a strong, handsome face, with flashing black eyes and bands of jet-black hair, and an expression of pain, suffered and conquered, lingering around it,—a dress and cape of grey serge, a bonnet of coarse straw, was the _tout ensemble_ that met the lady’s gaze. “How is this Headland to be reached?” was the next question asked. “By means of the packet-vessels trading along the coast of the Bay, Madam,” answered Barbara. “Very well. I will take a few days to reflect upon your proposition, Miss Brande, and let you know the result.” “I thank you, Madam. It is proper to inform you, however, that in a week hence I sail for the West Indies.” The lady here again lifts her lashes with a look of inquiry, to which Barbara replied— “I have command of the ‘Stormy Petrel,’ Madam, and shall set sail for Habana in six days.” The lady looked in gentle amazement upon the girl. “Excuse me,” she said—“but could I possibly have understood you to say that _you_ had command of a vessel?” “Yes, Madam, you understand aright.” The lady was too high bred to suffer any exclamation of surprise or wonder to escape her; but she looked at Barbara with such deep interest that the girl hastened to say—