thought of the tomb of her dear mother; that tomb she used to watch with solicitude, and which she adorned daily with new flowers, and upon which the briars and thorns would now soon grow; she thought of her old father, who was going to be deprived of her attentive cares; of her young brother, without a guide to direct him over the sand-banks of life.

Poor Guyonne thought of her friends, of the evening song, of the lowing of her heifer, which she was to hear no more; of the chapel of the village, of her little chamber, to which, perchance, she would never return. Then she thought of-I know not what-of what is nothing, and what is all.

In front of her, leaning against the mizzen-mast, John de Ganay seemed also absorbed in profound meditation.

His reflections were full of bitterness. Had he not broken the tie which attached him to happiness? and did not each knot sailed by the Castor bear him farther and farther from her whom he loved?

Besides, a strange presentiment tortured the mind of the viscount. Notwithstanding the pledges of tenderness which he had received from Laura, he doubted whether she would ever redeem them.

All attempts to banish these painful suspicions were fruitless; they returned incessantly and overwhelmed him like a nightmare.

John remained six consecutive hours in this situation, motionless, and insensible to all that surrounded him. But when the earth is completely veiled, the equerry turns his attention to the prow of the vessel.

He perceived the pretended Yvon, who had not moved a pace since she got on board, but tried to pierce the horizon to distinguish a line that still indicated her country.

The serene beauty of the young man, his intelligent physiognomy, the softness of his features, the calmness of his demeanor, surprised the equerry to the extent of awakening him from his reverie.

He wondered by what chance this handsome youth found himself included among the condemned, when Chedotel, who ordered a change of tack, precipitated himself rudely from the forecastlé on deck, and struck a violent blow with his telescope on the head of the spurious Yvon. "Be off, you abortion of the devil !"

Stunned with the violence of the blow, the young girl obeyed slowly.

The pilot, furious, pushed her with such rudeness that she fell on a large iron cable and cut her face.

"Naph" said Chedotel, continuing to give his orders. This act of brutality revolted John de Ganay. He proceeded to reprimand the pilot severely, when he remembered that the marquis had invested Chedotel with full powers during the voyage. Repressing his anger, he bent down to afford assistance to the wounded, who rose with her face covered with blood.

“Do you wish me to call the surgeon ?" said he, compassionately.

"Oh no, thank you, monseigneur; a little salt water will be sufficient to dry up these scratches."

The gentleness of this answer increased the interest which the equerry felt for the transport.

Drawing from his doublet a silk handkerchief, he presented it to her, saying:

"Wipe yourself with this. I will send for anything you want."

Guyonne, moved by a new and inexpressible sentiment, did not dare to accept.

"Take it," said the viscount, putting the handkerchief into her hand.

"Oh, monseigneur!" said the young girl.

"Well, you may speak of gratitude another time. Now, conform to my will."

The remedy of Guyonne had all the desired effect, save that there remained a few blue marks, she appeared more charming and fresher than before.

Her coarse uniform of gray linen, enhanced by contrast the fairness of her complexion.

The viscount could not repress a gesture of admiration.

"What is your name ?" asked he, leaning against the side of the bulwark.

"Yvon, at your service, monseigneur,” replied she, after some hesitation.

"Yvon! I heard that name pronounced before. Yvon! whose vassal were you?"

"Monseigneur de la Roche's."

"Ah, ah! In fact, I remember. Your father is a fisher

man."

"A fisherman," repeated she, affirmatively. "And what age are you ?"

"I shall be twenty-five at Candlemas."

"Twenty-five years! You seem to be scarcely seven

teen."

"I don't know how to lie, monseigneur."

"But you were with the bandits who assailed the chateau ?"

The young girl stammered an unintelligible phrase.

66 And you have a sister ?" continued John de Ganay. The reply of Guyonne was rendered inaudible by the clock of the Castor, which announced dinner.

The viscount parted immediately from his protege to proceed to the front cabin, where were already united the Marquis de la Roche, the pilot Chedotel, and the principal officers of the ship.

As to the step-daughter of Perrin, although she had taken no kind of food since the previous evening, she felt too much overwhelmed with grief to care to eat, and she remained on deck.

TOWARDS the evening of the same day, Chedotel promenaded with precipitate step on the deck. His angular and coarse features were more repulsive than ever; he tormented his nose with his hooked nails with an inconceivable perseverance, and sounds frequently escaped from his throat which it would be difficult to translate.

At every instant the eyes of the pilot were attracted towards the sky, and he stamped with his feet like a man who foresaw danger without finding any means of avoiding it.

However, nothing in the atmosphere seemed to announce any change; the sun set illuminating the waters of the bay with his rays, and the wind whistled with unaltered equality.

The Castor cut the waves as rapidly as a bird, and to all others than an experienced mariner the night seemed destined to be as calm and delightful as the day had been.