As she said this there were tears in her eyes, true ones, and something of the sound of a broken sob in her voice.  And Caldigate was moved.  The woman’s condition was to be pitied, whether it had been produced with or without fault on her own part.  To be alone is always sad,—­even for a man; but for a woman, and for a young woman, it is doubly melancholy.  Of a sudden the dancing was done and the lamps were taken away.

‘If you do not want to go to bed,’ he said, ‘let us take a turn.’

’I never go to bed.  I mean here, on board ship.  I linger up on deck, half hiding myself about the place, till I see some quartermaster eying me suspiciously and then I creep down into the little hole which I occupy with three of Mrs. Crompton’s children and then I cry myself to sleep.  But I don’t call that going to bed.’

‘Take a turn now.’

’I shall feel like the housemaid talking to her follower through the area-gate.  But she is brave, and why should I be a coward?’ Then she put her hand upon his arm.  ‘And you,’ she said, ’why are not you dancing in the other part of the ship with Mrs. Callander and Miss Green, instead of picking your way among the hencoops here with me?’

‘This suited my pocket best,—­and my future prospects.’

’You are making a delightful experiment in roughing it,—­as people eat pic-nic dinners out in the woods occasionally, so that there may be a break in the monotony of chairs and tables.’

While Shand had been unravelling her mystery, she, perhaps, had been more successful in unravelling his.

‘We intend to be miners.’

’And to return home before long with some vast treasure.  I hope you may be successful.’

‘You seem to doubt it.’

’Of course it is doubtful.  If not, the thing would be common and hardly worth the doing.  Will Mr. Shand be very persistent as a working miner?’

‘I hope so.’

’He seems to me to have great gifts of idleness, which on board ship are a blessing.  How I do envy men when I see them smoking!  It seems to me that nothing is wanting to them.  Women have their needlework; but though they hate it less than idleness, they do hate it.  But you really like your tobacco.’

‘I don’t like being idle.  I read a good deal.  Do you read?’

’I have but few books here.  I have read more perhaps than most young women of my age.  I came away in such a hurry that I have almost nothing with me.’

‘Can I lend you books?’

‘If you will.  I will promise to take care of them.’

’I have “The Heartbroken One,” by Spratt, you know.  It is very absurd, but full of life from beginning to end.  All that Spratt writes is very lively.’

’I don’t think I care for Spratt.  He may be lively, but he’s not life-like.’

’And “Michael Bamfold.”  It is hard work, perhaps but very thoughtful, if you can digest that sort of thing.’