the fragile door of their little berth, where, placing her ear at the keyhole, she listened to the heavy breathing of her mistress's father. The captain, soundly sleeping on the opposite side of the ship, little dreamed that his only daughter was clasped to the heart of the man he most detested upon earth, and that, too, in his own cabin. Vain, weak being! His own harshness had contributed in no slight degree to the defeating of his views; and not even the discipline of a man-of-war, which conquers all things, and is circumvented by so few, could successfully bid defiance to the daring and ingenuity of love. From the sound evidence afforded by the nose of Captain Livingstone, touching the slumber in which the said officer was wrapped, Anne, who felt much more at her ease, while keeping guard over him, than if he were keeping guard over her, had time every now and then to turn round and observe the movements of the lovers. "It must be very delightful," thought she, as indeed many a poor maiden has thought before her," to have one you may tell all your sorrows to-to say nothing of putting your arms round his neck! Well, I'm sure that Mr. Ramsay takes kisses enough for fifty sweethearts. I don't think I should give mine so many by half; but if he does not take a little more care he'll be tumbling overboard, and then I shall be flayed alive by the captain, I suppose. Please, Miss Angela," whispered she, approaching to within earshot, "Mr. Ramsay had better go now before he's found out, for I'm afraid every moment he'll fall overboard." To this Miss Angela's most pertinent reply was to clasp him more closely to herself. "Never fear for me," said the lieutenant, “I'm as firm as a rock. But if you're fearful of my falling over, I'll just step inside the port-for, as to going away, I hav'n't told your mistress the fiftieth part of what I have to say." "O no! I dare say not-and never will, I suppose," said the girl. "Do you think we may venture to let him come in, Anne ?" inquired her mistress, laying her trembling hand on the girl's arm. 66 Why, ma'am," slily replied the girl, “I don't think we can help ourselves." And indeed in this supposition Anne had but exercised her usual judgment, since, ere she had time to answer her mistress's query, Ramsay was inside the berth, and sitting on the gun-tackle. 影 CHAPTER III. Who, gazing on impassioned eyes, Heaven itself is scarcely dearer : Day is bringing grief too near. A QUARTER of an hour flew briefly away to the young pair, whose joys were thus snatched from grief and danger; nor did either of them believe that more than a few minutes had elapsed. While yet, however, they were in the midst of whispering their mutual plans for the future, a loud cough from the adjoining cabin startled the lady almost to fainting, and did not greatly add to the comfort or happiness of the gentleman. Anne, however, who had faithfully returned to her post, held up her finger to her fellow conspirators behind, giving notice that Captain Livingstone had awoke; and while Angela, in excess of terror, pressed her cold lips to Ramsay's, the latter heard his superior seize the bell-pull that hung by the head of his cot, and ring for the sentry. Conscious of that which, if not transgression in his eyes, would be greatly so in Captain Livingstone's, the lieutenant began to imagine that he had been discovered. Could their whisperings have been less guarded than he imagined? Perhaps the old officer might have been lying awake for some time. What would be the result? what had he better do? For the present, however, it required all his energies to prevent the timid girl that rested on his arm from going into hysterics: and if not found out already, he knew that escape would then be utterly impossible. In the midst, however, of these torturing apprehensions, the sentry entered the cabin. For a minute or two Ramsay's heart seemed to still its pulse, give two or three successive throbs, and cease again. |