I went below, inexpressibly more satisfied and comforted.  What it was in this man that won my complete, unquestioning confidence, I did not know; but his very presence, and the sight of his good, trustworthy face, gave me a sense of security such as I have never felt before or since.  Surely God had sent him to me in my great extremity.

CHAPTER THE FOURTH.

A safe Haven.

We were two hours after time at St. Peter-Port; and then all was hurry and confusion, for goods and passengers had to be landed and embarked for Jersey.  Tardif, who was afraid of losing the cutter which would convey him to Sark, had only time to give me the address of a person with whom I could lodge until he came to fetch me to his island, and then he hastened away to a distant part of the quay.  I was not sorry that he should miss finding out that I had no luggage of any kind with me.

I was busy enough during the next three days, for I had every thing to buy.  The widow with whom I was lodging came to the conclusion that I had lost all my luggage, and I did not try to remove the false impression.  Through her assistance I was able to procure all I required, without exciting more notice and curiosity.  My purchases, though they were as simple and cheap as I could make them, drew largely upon my small store of money, and as I saw it dwindling away, while I grudged every shilling I was obliged to part with, my spirits sank lower and lower.  I had never known the dread of being short of money, and the new experience was, perhaps, the more terrible to me.  There was no chance of disposing of the costly dress in which I had journeyed, without arousing too much attention and running too great a risk.  I stayed in-doors as much as possible, and, as the weather continued cold and gloomy, I did not meet many persons when I ventured out into the narrow, foreign-looking streets of the town.

But on the third day, when I looked out from my window, I saw that the sky had cleared, and the sun was shining joyously.  It was one of those lovely days which come as a lull sometimes in the midst of the equinoctial gales, as if they were weary of the havoc they had made, and were resting with folded wings.  For the first time I saw the little island of Sark lying against the eastern sky.  The whole length of it was visible, from north to south, with the waves beating against its headlands, and a fringe of silvery foam girdling it.  The sky was of a pale blue, as though the rains had washed it as well as the earth, and a few filmy clouds were still lingering about it.  The sea beneath was a deeper blue, with streaks almost like a hoar frost upon it, with here and there tints of green, like that of the sky at sunset.  A boat with three white sails, which were reflected in the water, was tacking about to enter the harbor, and a second, with amber sails, was a little way behind, but following quickly in its wake.  I watched them for a long time.  Was either of them Tardif’s boat?