’Oh!  Mr Owen, if your parents were to hear you talking like this to me, what would they say to you? what would they think of me?  You should not make a joke of my poverty and friendless state, sir.  Anything else, but not this! oh! not this! and from you.’

’I was never more in earnest in all my life, and ask for only one word of encouragement from you to go and tell my and mother directly,’

’Oh! if you please, Mr Owen, do not do this.  If are in earnest, sir, and I hope you are not, you must forget that you ever said this to me.’

’I do not mean to forget it, Gladys, or to let you forget it.  Will you say the word? only give me hope and all will be right.  Will you marry me, and be the daughter of your adopted mother?’

’I can never marry any one, sir; I have nothing to live for in this world, but to try to do my duty to you and yours, and to think of those I have lost.’

’Gladys, your cold manner maddens me.  Say you hate me, and would rather marry some one else; say anything that has some heart in it.  We sailors are made of warmer stuff than such icebergs as you.’

’I cannot say that, sir, because I do not hate you; and I never mean to marry, and I would sooner die than cause trouble in your family.’

’Then you won’t have me, Gladys? and you mean to send me back to sea again, and to make me return to my wild ways, and to make my mother miserable?’

’Och hone! what will I do?  Why do you say such things to me, Mr Owen, who have never done you any harm?  I cannot marry—­I cannot do what would be wicked and ungrateful—­I will go away again back to old Ireland, and not cause trouble to those who have been so good to me.’

’No, you will not do anything of the kind, unless you wish me to go after you.  I shall tell my father that I will be off to sea again, and then I need not trouble you any more.’

’I will not stay, Mr Owen, to make mischief; so if you will only please to stop at home with your parents I will go away.’

’I shall not please to do anything of the kind, for I only stayed so long on your account, and this is the reward I get.’

Owen was in a passion, and vainly striving to keep it down.  His face was flushed, he looked angrily and moodily upon the drooping head of Gladys as it bent lower and lower over the poor cow upon which she was leaning.  He suddenly seized her hand, and exclaimed,—­

’I am not used to be refused in this cool sort of way, and I don’t believe there ever was a woman in the world who doesn’t wish to get married to some one or other.  Now whether you mean to have me or not is not the question I am going to ask; but whether you have any other lover, or ever had one that you prefer to me?—­Tell me this, and I shall be satisfied.’

Gladys tried to draw away her hand from the impetuous young man, but he held it fast.

’You needn’t be afraid; I would not hurt a hair of your head.  And if you knew what I am feeling now at this moment you will tell me the truth.  Will you answer me a few questions?’