who　were　saved；　learning　every　detail　that　she　could　gather。　But　to
  none　of　the　men；　except　to　Mr。　Thompson；　would　she　say　a　single　word；
  and　soon；　seeing　how　the　matter　stood；　they　hid　themselves　away　from
  her　as　they　had　already　done　from　Mrs。　Jeffreys。
  The　/Castle/　had　hung　about　the　scene　of　the　shipwreck　for　thirty
  hours；　and　rescued　one　other　boatload　of　survivors；　also　a　stoker
  clinging　to　a　piece　of　wreckage。　But　with　the　shore　she　had　been
  unable　to　communicate；　for　the　dreaded　wind　had　risen；　and　the
  breakers　were　quite　impassable　to　any　boat。　To　a　passing　steamer　bound
  for　Port　Elizabeth；　however；　she　had　reported　the　terrible　disaster；
  which　by　now　was　known　all　over　the　world；　together　with　the　names　of
  those　whom　she　had　picked　up　in　the　boats。
  On　the　night　of　the　day　of　Benita's　interview　with　Mrs。　Jeffreys；　the
  /Castle/　arrived　off　Durban　and　anchored；　since　she　was　too　big　a
  vessel　to　cross　the　bar　as　it　was　in　those　days。　At　dawn　the
  stewardess　awoke　Benita　from　the　uneasy　sleep　in　which　she　lay；　to
  tell　her　that　an　old　gentleman　had　come　off　in　the　tug　and　wished　to
  see　her；　for　fear　of　exciting　false　hopes　she　was　very　careful　to　add
  that　word　〃old。〃　With　her　help　Benita　dressed　herself；　and　as　the　sun
  rose；　flooding　the　Berea；　the　Point；　the　white　town　and　fair　Natal
  beyond　with　light；　she　went　on　to　the　deck；　and　there；　leaning　over
  the　bulwark；　saw　a　thin；　grey…bearded　man　of　whom　after　all　these
  years　the　aspect　was　still　familiar。
  A　curious　thrill　went　through　her　as　she　looked　at　him　leaning　there
  lost　in　thought。　After　all；　he　was　her　father；　the　man　to　whom　she
  owed　her　presence　upon　this　bitter　earth；　this　place　of　terrors　and
  delights；　of　devastation　and　hope　supernal。　Perhaps；　too；　he　had　been
  as　much　sinned　against　as　sinning。　She　stepped　up　to　him　and　touched
  him　on　the　shoulder。
  〃Father；〃　she　said。
  He　turned　round　with　all　the　quickness　of　a　young　man；　for　about　him
  there　was　a　peculiar　agility　which　his　daughter　had　inherited。　Like
  his　mind；　his　body　was　still　nimble。
  〃My　darling；〃　he　said；　〃I　should　have　known　your　voice　anywhere。　It
  has　haunted　my　sleep　for　years。　My　darling；　thank　you　for　coming　back
  to　me；　and　thank　God　for　preserving　you　when　so　many　were　lost。〃　Then
  he　threw　his　arms　about　her　and　kissed　her。
  She　shrank　from　him　a　little；　for　by　inadvertence　he　had　pressed　upon
  the　wound　in　her　forehead。
  〃Forgive　me；〃　she　said；　〃it　is　my　head。　It　was　injured；　you　know。〃
  Then　he　saw　the　bandage　about　her　brow；　and　was　very　penitent。
  〃They　did　not　tell　me　that　you　had　been　hurt；　Benita；〃　he　exclaimed　in
  his　light；　refined　voice；　one　of　the　stamps　of　that　gentility　of　blood
  and　breeding　whereof　all　his　rough　years　and　errors　had　been　unable　to
  deprive　him。　〃They　only　told　me　that　you　were　saved。　It　is　part　of　my
  ill…fortune　that　at　our　first　moment　of　greeting　I　should　give　you
  pain；　who　have　caused　you　so　much　already。〃
  Benita　felt　that　the　words　were　an　apology　for　the　past；　and　her　heart
  was　touched。
  〃It　is　nothing；〃　she　answered。　〃You　did　not　know　or　mean　it。〃
  〃No；　dear；　I　never　knew　or　meant　it。　Believe　me；　I　was　not　a　willing
  sinner；　only　a　weak　one。　You　are　beautiful；　Benitafar　more　so　than　I
  expected。〃
  〃What；〃　she　answered　smiling；　〃with　this　bandage　round　my　head？　Well；
  in　your　eyes；　perhaps。〃　But　inwardly　she　thought　to　herself　that　the
  description　would　be　more　applicable　to　her　father；　who　in　truth；
  notwithstanding　his　years；　was　wonderfully　handsome；　with　his　quick
  blue　eyes；　mobile　face；　gentle　mouth　with　the　wistful　droop　at　the
  corners　so　like　her　own；　and　grey　beard。　How；　she　wondered；　could　this
  be　the　man　who　had　struck　her　mother。　Then　she　remembered　him　as　he
  had　been　years　before　when　he　was　a　slave　to　liquor；　and　knew　that　the
  answer　was　simple。
  〃Tell　me　about　your　escape；　love；〃　he　said；　patting　her　hand　with　his
  thin　fingers。　〃You　don't　know　what　I've　suffered。　I　was　waiting　at　the
  Royal　Hotel　here；　when　the　cable　came　announcing　the　loss　of　the
  /Zanzibar/　and　all　on　board。　For　the　first　time　for　many　a　year　I
  drank　spirits　to　drown　my　griefdon't　be　afraid；　dearfor　the　first
  time　and　the　last。　Then　afterwards　came　another　cable　giving　the　names
  of　those　who　were　known　to　be　saved；　andthank　God；　oh！　thank　God
  yours　among　them；〃　and　he　gasped　at　the　recollection　of　that　relief。
  〃Yes；〃　she　said；　〃I　suppose　I　should　thankHimand　another。　Have　you
  heard　the　story　abouthow　Mr。　Seymour　saved　me；　I　mean？〃
  〃Some　of　it。　While　you　were　dressing　yourself；　I　have　been　talking　to
  the　officer　who　was　in　command　of　your　boat。　He　was　a　brave　man；
  Benita；　and　I　am　sorry　to　tell　you　he　is　gone。〃
  She　grasped　a　stanchion　and　clung　there；　staring　at　him　with　a　wild；
  white　face。
  〃How　do　you　know　that；　Father？〃
  Mr。　Clifford　drew　a　copy　of　the　/Natal　Mercury/　of　the　previous　day
  from　the　pocket　of　his　ulster；　and　while　she　waited　in　an　agony　he
  hunted　through　the　long　columns　descriptive　of　the　loss　of　the
  /Zanzibar/。　Presently　he　came　to　the　paragraph　he　sought；　and　read　it
  aloud　to　her。　It　ran：
  〃The　searchers　on　the　coast　opposite　the　scene　of　the　shipwreck
  report　that　they　met　a　Kaffir　who　was　travelling　along　the
  seashore；　who　produced　a　gold　watch　which　he　said　he　had　taken
  from　the　body　of　a　white　man　that　he　found　lying　on　the　sand　at
  the　mouth　of　the　Umvoli　River。　Inside　the　watch　is　engraved；　'To
  Seymour　Robert　Seymour；　from　his　uncle；　on　his　twenty…first
  birthday。'　The　name　of　Mr。　Seymour　appears　as　a　first…class
  passenger　to　Durban　by　the　/Zanzibar/。　He　was　a　member　of　an　old
  English　family　in　Lincolnshire。　This　was　his　second　journey　to
  South　Africa；　which　he　visited　some　years　ago　with　his　brother　on
  a　big…game　shooting　expedition。　All　who　knew　him　then　will　join
  with　us　in　deploring　his　loss。　Mr。　Seymour　was　a　noted　shot　and　an
  English　gentleman　of　the　best　stamp。　He　was　last　seen　by　one　of
  the　survivors　of　the　catastrophe；　carrying　Miss　Clifford；　the
  daughter　of　the　well…known　Natal　pioneer　of　that　name；　into　a
  boat；　but　as　this　young　lady　is　reported　to　have　been　saved；　and
  as　he　entered　the　boat　with　her；　no　explanation　is　yet　forthcoming
  as　to　how　he　came　to　his　sad　end。〃
  〃I　fear　that　is　clear　enough；〃　said　Mr。　Clifford；　as　he　folded　up　his
  paper。
  〃Yes；　clear　enough；〃　she　repeated　in　a　strained　voice。　〃And　yetyet
  oh！　Father；　he　had　just　asked　me　to　marry　him；　and　I　can't　believe
  that　he　is　dead　before　I　had　time　to　answer。〃
  〃Good　Heavens！〃　said　the　old　man；　〃they　never　told　me　that。　It　is
  dreadfully　sad。　God　help　you；　my　poor　child！　There　is　nothing　more　to
  say　except　that　he　was　only　one　among　three　hundred　who　have　gone　with
  him。　Be　brave　now；　before　all　these　people。　Lookhere　comes　the　tug。〃
  The　following　week　was　very　much　of　a　blank　to　Benita。　When　they
  reached　shore　some　old　friends　of　her　father's　took　her　and　him　to
  their　house；　a　quiet　place　upon　the　Berea。　Here；　now　that　the　first
  excitement　of　rescue　and　grief　was　over；　the　inevitable　reaction　set
  in；　bringing　with　it　weakness　so　distressing　that　the　doctor　insisted
  upon　her　going　to　bed；　where　she　remained　for　the　next　five　days。　With
  the　healing　up　of　the　wound　in　her　head　her　strength　came　back　to　her
  at　last；　but　it　was　a　very　sad　Benita　who　crept　from　her　room　one
  afternoon　on　to　the　verandah　and　looked　out　at　the　cruel　sea；　peaceful
  now　as　the　sky　above。
  Her　father；　who　had　nursed　her　tenderly　during　these　dark　days；　came
  and　sat　by　her；　taking　her　hand　in　his。
  〃This　is　capital；〃　he　said；　glancing　at　her　anxiously。　〃You　are
  getting　quite　yourself　again。〃
  〃I　shall　never　be　myself　again；〃　she　answered。　〃My　old　self　is　dead；
  although　the　outside　of　me　has　recovered。　Father；　I　suppose　that　it　is
  wrong；　but　I　wish　that　I　were　dead　too。　I　wish　that　he　had　taken　me
  with　him　when　he　jumped　into　the　sea　to　lighten　the　boat。〃
  〃Don't　speak　like　that；〃　he　broke　in　hastily。　〃Of　course　I　know　that　I
  am　not　much　to　youhow　can　I　be　after　all　that　is　past？　But　I　love
  you；　dear；　and　if　I　were　left　quite　alone　again〃　And　he　broke　off。
  〃You　shall　not　be　left　alone　if　I　can　help　it；〃　she　replied；　looking
  at　the　old　man　with　her　dark　and　tender　eyes。　〃We　have　only　each　other
  in　the　world　now；　have　we？　The　rest　have　gone；　never　to　return。〃
  He　threw　his　arms　about　her；　and；　drawing　her　to　him；　kissed　her
  passionately。
  〃If　only　you　could　learn　to　love　me！〃　he　said。
  〃I　do　love　you；〃　she　answered；　〃who　now　shall　never　love　any　other　man
  upon　the　earth。〃
  This　was　the　beginning　of　a　deep　affection　which　sprang　up　between　Mr。
  Clifford　and　his　daughter；　and　continued　to　the　end。
  〃Is　there　any　news？〃　she　asked　a　little　later。
  〃Nonenone　about　him。　The　tide　took　his　body　away；　no　doubt；　after
  the　Kaffir　had　gone。　I　remember　him　well　now。　He　was