“Well, I suppose it was the same chap that whistled with you at the concert, wasn’t it!”

“No, indeed!  I suppose I must tell you more, after all.  You don’t understand the half of it yet.  It was one who was, at one time, my sister’s lover, or so I thought, but he—­”

“He changed his mind, I see,” and there was a twinkle of fun in the eyes that watched the face before him.  “I begin to see the point now.  That is why he did not want your sister with you.  May I hazard a guess and say that perhaps it was the dark young man who was glowering at you the night of the concert?  Oh, I saw it all,” as she looked up in surprise.  “So it was he?”

“Yes, he was out of temper that night, I remember.”

“Well, he did not look very amiable, I must say; but, for all that, you were safer with him than on the vessel, for, if I am not mistaken, that is the crew going aboard now,” and the shouts and songs of the sailors reached their ears as they rowed towards the vessel.

“Oh! thank you, thank you a thousand times, for coming along just when you did!  What should I have done?  But I had this,” and she drew forth the revolver from her pocket.

“Great Scott! have you got that yet?  What were you going to do with it?”

“I would have turned it on myself if there was no other way.  Would you mind accepting it?  McNeil shall never have it back,” and she laid it by his side.

The oars were poised in the air as he caught the name.  “McNeil, you said!  Not the McNeil that has had the fortune left him lately, and is considered such a great catch?”

“Yes, he has had a fortune left him; as for being a great catch”—­and the shrug of her shoulders finished her answer.

“Well, I don’t think he will have to force his attentions on the rest of the young ladies around Halifax by the aid of a revolver anyway, if all they say of the young man is true.  He is well liked, I hear, by all who know him.  And so you won’t have him?”

“No, I won’t promise to marry any man, however rich he is, who would ask it with a revolver in his possession to enforce it.  I should hate him for it.”

“There spoke the woman’s heart; a loaded revolver is hardly a lover’s weapon, I’ll admit.  What a bit of romance this will be for my wife!  Have I your permission to tell it?”

“Just as you like; but please do not tell anyone else—­your soldier friends, I mean.”

“Certainly not, if you wish it; but young ladies usually like to boast of their conquests.”

“Well, on all other points McNeil is sensible, and, as he will probably marry someone else some day, it will not be pleasant to have this affair become known.”

CHAPTER XXX.

It was quite dark when they reached the wharf, and Dexie was wondering if Lancy knew of her absence when she saw his well-known figure outlined against the sky.