“Merrily, merrily goes the barque, On a breeze from the northward free; So shoots through the morning sky the lark. Or the swan through the summer sea! Upon the gale she stoops her side, And bounds before the swelling tide, As she were dancing home: The merry seamen laugh to see Their gallant ship so lustily Furrow the green sea foam.”—_Scott._ The Petrel was favored with fine weather until the seventh day out, when near 30° north latitude she entered the Gulf stream, and faced the trade winds then blowing from an east and north-easterly direction. The violence and persistence of this gale kept her back for several days, so that it was the first of November before she dropped anchor in the harbor of Havana. Here Lord Montressor took leave of Miss Brande, cordially shaking hands with her at parting, and asking and receiving permission to visit the vessel during her stay in port. And while Barbara occupied herself with discharging her cargo, Lord Montressor established himself at the Hotel Macon, and from this quarter pursued his inquiries for Estelle. He found that the Sea Mew had reached port about fifteen days previous to the arrival of the Petrel; that she had discharged her cargo, taken in fresh freight, and about a week since had sailed for Rio Janeiro. But he could hear of no passengers that she had brought to Havana; on the contrary, he was assured by several persons of whom he made the inquiry that she had certainly brought none. But opposed to this testimony were the facts that he had learned at Baltimore. Thus with a perplexed, discouraged, but persevering heart he still pursued the almost hopeless search. In the progress of his investigations, particularly near the harbor, he often met with Barbara Brande. No word had ever passed between them upon the object of his voyage, yet that object was well known to Miss Brande. She longed for the sister’s privilege of counseling him. Knowing the utter futility of his search, she felt it to be, in herself, a sort of treachery to permit him to pursue it. Often when they chanced to meet, her sympathizing eyes were fixed with a sorrowful, prayful expression upon his troubled countenance. Once when he visited her, in the cabin of her own vessel, while both sat at the little centre-table, she fixed her honest eyes full upon his care-worn face and said— “Lord Montressor, give me your confidence.” He looked up in surprise.