The young girl's surprise at this announcement knew no bounds. Nothing could have been more remote from her thoughts than the possibility of her father's marrying a second time. She knew of his devotion to her mother--knew the anguish that had been caused to him by Olympia's early death, and to hear that he was about to wed the young and frivolous Frenchwoman filled her with bewilderment. This, then, was the fulfillment of the ambitious hopes to which Pauline Corsi had alluded. Being utterly without avarice or mercenary feelings of any kind, the announcement of her father's marriage gave no pain to Camillia. On the contrary, it pleased her to think that he should win a companion for his declining days, and her only prayer was that Pauline might prove worthy of his affection, and might learn to make him happy. Her innocent mind could little dream of the terrible secret which was involved in this intended marriage. Again, she remembered that no doubt her fortune would be much reduced by this unlooked-for event; there would be, therefore, less objection to her union with Paul. This thought filled her with hope, and she seemed to recognize the hand of Providence in the turn which events were taking. But we must retrace our steps, in order to throw a light upon the timely appearance of Paul Lisimon, Captain Prendergills, and the sailor Joe, in the secret gambling-house in Columbia Street. It will be remembered that Camillia Moraquitos had recognized the copper-colored visage of the sailor in the pit of the crowded Opera-house. The beautiful Spanish girl had also been recognized by honest-hearted Joe, whose breast was overflowing with gratitude for the noble handful of dollars which she had only that morning given him. The Amazon was anchored in the harbor of New Orleans, and Joe had been commissioned by Paul Lisimon to deliver the letter to Camillia, and had at the same time received his Captain's permission to take a night's holiday on shore. With his pockets full of money the sailor was determined to enjoy himself, and, attracted by the blaze of lights and brilliant crowd, he strolled into the Opera-house. Here, the entertainment being not very much to his liking, he amused himself by staring at the audience. It was then he perceived Camillia Moraquitos. From the moment of recognizing her he scarcely ever took his eyes from the box in which she was seated. Was she not the sweetheart of his Captain's particular friend, the new first mate of the Amazon, and was it not therefore his duty to look after her? He saw Augustus Horton leaning over Camillia's chair, and immediately set him down as an admirer of the lady, and a rival of Paul Lisimon. By-and-by he saw the planter leave the box to order the carriage at the close of the performance. Determined to watch to the last, he quitted the pit at the same moment, and reached the portico before the theater in time to see Augustus and Camillia into the carriage that was waiting for them.