‘Oh, no, in that you will only act with prudence and wisdom, although, I must repeat that I sincerely trust there will not be found to be any necessity for that precaution. But my poor father—what of him?’ ‘He is well in body.’ ‘But how has he supported my absence?’ ‘Oh, he suffered terribly.’ ‘Did he give himself up to grief?’ ‘At first he did—he was as one struck to the earth by a sudden, violent blow. Joaquin, however, roused him from his despondency, by urging the absolute necessity of pursuing the abductors. Thus urged, your father shook off his despondency, and appearing to forget his years, joined in the search for your abductors with all the ardor of youth. Indeed it became almost necessary forcibly to restrain him, lest he should become totally deranged.’ ‘_Totally_ deranged! Then his mind was affected by my loss?’ ‘Oh, my love,’ ejaculated Monteagle, ‘Would that heaven had spared me that painful task; but pray be calm and bear the melancholy intelligence with fortitude and resignation.’ ‘Speak on, speak on; I’m prepared for the worst,’ ejaculated our heroine— ‘Tell me of my poor father.’ ‘When I left your home the physicians hoped he might recover, as at intervals reason seemed returning, when he would call for his daughter Inez, and then relapse into unconsciousness.’ ‘Oh, let us hasten to my poor dear father.’ They were soon in their saddles, and on road to the Mission. -------------- CHAPTER XIX The Seducer’s Terrible End. A few nights after Blodget’s escape found him walking the streets of San Francisco, but disguised as he thought too effectually to be recognized by any eye, however sharp. There was a cloud upon Blodget’s brow as he emerged from the court into the semi-obscurity of Montgomery street, and his mind was evidently ill at ease. He tried to hum a fashionable opera air when he had walked a little distance, but there seemed something in his throat which choked him, and the sounds died upon his lips. Then he quickened his pace, when a young female emerged from a street which he was passing, and laid her hand upon his arm. He turned his head, and beheld Carlotta. She was thinner than when he had seen her last, and looked as if she had recently been ill; but her dark eyes were as lustrous as then, and there was the same gloss upon her raven hair. At the moment that she emerged from the shade of the court, and laid her hand upon his, there was a strange and almost indescribable expression upon her dark countenance, but it passed away as quickly as a flight of birds over a stream, and when Blodget’s eyes met hers, they read nothing therein but pleasure at meeting him again. ‘Ah, my little wild rose of the islands!’ said he, ‘what are you doing at this hour of the night, when all such pretty wild birds should be in their nests.’