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〃I'm sure of it。 And so； if your suspicions are correct； and poor
Falcon should yield to a sudden temptation； and spend all that
money； I shall just coolly deduct it from your share of this
wonderful stone： so make your mind easy。 But no； if Falcon is
really so wicked as to desert his happy home； and so mad as to
spend thousands in a month or two； let us go and save him。〃
〃That is my business；〃 said Phoebe。 〃I am going in the mail…cart
to…morrow。〃
〃Well； you won't go alone；〃 said Dick。
〃Mrs。 Falcon；〃 said Staines imploringly； 〃let me go with you。〃
〃Thank you； sir。 My brother can take care of me。〃
〃Me！ You had better not take me。 If I catch hold of him； by …
I'll break his neck； or his back； or his leg； or something； he'll
never run away from you again； if I lay hands on him；〃 replied
Dick。
〃I'll go alone。 You are both against me。〃
〃No； Mrs。 Falcon； I am not；〃 said Staines。 〃My heart bleeds for
you。〃
〃Don't you demean yourself； praying her；〃 said Dick。 〃It's a
public conveyance： you have no need to ask HER leave。〃
〃That is true： I can't hinder folk from going to Cape Town the same
day；〃 said Phoebe sullenly。
〃If I might presume to advise； I would take little Tommy。〃
〃What！ all that road？ Do you want me to lose my child； as well as
my man？〃
〃O Mrs。 Falcon！〃
〃Don't speak to her； doctor； to get your nose snapped off。 Give
her time。 She'll come to her senses before she dies。〃
Next day Mrs。 Falcon and Staines started for Cape Town。 Staines
paid her every attention； when opportunity offered。 But she was
sullen and gloomy； and held no converse with him。
He landed her at an inn； and then told her he would go at once to
the jeweller's。 He asked her piteously would she lend him a pound
or two to prosecute his researches。 She took out her purse；
without a word； and lent him two pounds。
He began to scour the town： the jewellers he visited could tell him
nothing。 At last he came to a shop； and there he found Mrs。 Falcon
making her inquiries independently。 She said coldly； 〃You had
better come with me； and get your money and things。〃
She took him to the bankit happened to be the one she did
business withand said； 〃This is Dr。 Christie； come for his money
and jewels。〃
There was some demur at this； but the cashier recognized him； and
Phoebe making herself responsible； the money and jewels were handed
over。
Staines whispered Phoebe； 〃Are you sure the jewels are mine？〃
〃They were found on you； sir。〃
Staines took them； looking confused。 He did not know what to
think。 When they got into the street again； he told her it was
very kind of her to think of his interest at all。
No answer： she was not going to make friends with him over such a
trifle as that。
By degrees； however； Christopher's zeal on her behalf broke the
ice； and besides； as the search proved unavailing； she needed
sympathy； and he gave it her； and did not abuse her husband as Dick
Dale did。
One day； in the street； after a long thought； she said to him；
〃Didn't you say； sir； you gave him a letter for me？〃
〃I gave him two letters； one of them was to you。〃
〃Could you remember what you said in it？〃
〃Perfectly。 I begged you； if you should go to England； to break
the truth to my wife。 She is very excitable； and sudden joy has
killed ere now。 I gave you particular instructions。〃
〃And you were very wise。 But whatever could make you think I would
go to England？〃
〃He told me you only wanted an excuse。〃
〃Oh！！〃
〃When he told me that； I caught at it； of course。 It was all the
world to me to get my Rosa told by such a kind； good； sensible
friend as you； and； Mrs。 Falcon； I had no scruple about troubling
you； because I knew the stones would sell for at least a thousand
pounds more in England than here； and that would pay your expenses。〃
〃I see； sir； I see。 'Twas very natural： you love your wife。〃
〃Better than my life。〃
〃And he told you I only wanted an excuse to go to England？〃
〃He did； indeed。 It was not true？〃
〃It was anything but true。 I had suffered so in England； I had
been so happy here： too happy to last。 Ah！ well； it is all over。
Let us think of the matter in hand。 Sure that was not the only
letter you gave my husband？ Didn't you write to HER？〃
〃Of course I did； but that was enclosed to you； and not to be given
to her until you had broken the joyful news to her。 Yes； Mrs。
Falcon； I wrote and told her everything： my loss at sea； how I was
saved； after； by your kindness。 Our journeys； from Cape Town； and
then to the diggings； my sudden good fortune； my hopes； my joy
O my poor Rosa！ and now I suppose she will never get it。 It is too
cruel of him。 I shall go home by the next steamer。 I CAN'T stay
here any longer； for you or anybody。 Oh； and I enclosed my ruby
ring that she gave me； for I thought she might not believe you
without that。〃
〃Let me think；〃 said Phoebe； turning ashy pale。 〃For mercy's sake；
let me think！
〃He has read both those letters； sir。
〃She will never see hers： any more than I shall see mine。〃
She paused again； thinking harder and harder。
〃We must take two places in the next mail steamer。 I must look
after my husband； AND YOU AFTER YOUR WIFE。〃
CHAPTER XXV。
Mrs。 Falcon's bitter feeling against Dr。 Staines did not subside；
it merely went out of sight a little。 They were thrown together by
potent circumstances； and in a manner connected by mutual
obligations； so an open rupture seemed too unnatural。 Still Phoebe
was a woman； and； blinded by her love for her husband； could not
forgive the innocent cause of their present unhappy separation；
though the fault lay entirely with Falcon。
Staines took her on board the steamer； and paid her every
attention。 She was also civil to him； but it was a cold and
constrained civility。
About a hundred miles from land the steamer stopped； and the
passengers soon learned there was something wrong with her
machinery。 In fact； after due consultation； the captain decided to
put back。
This irritated and distressed Mrs。 Falcon so that the captain；
desirous to oblige her； hailed a fast schooner； that tacked across
her bows； and gave Mrs。 Falcon the option of going back with him；
or going on in the schooner； with whose skipper he was acquainted。
Staines advised her on no account to trust to sails； when she could
have steam with only a delay of four or five days； but she said；
〃Anything sooner than go back。 I can't； I can't on such an
errand。〃
Accordingly she was put on board the schooner； and Staines； after
some hesitation； felt bound to accompany her。
It proved a sad error。 Contrary winds assailed them the very next
day； and with such severity that they had repeatedly to lie to。
On one of these occasions； with a ship reeling under them like a
restive horse； and the waves running mountains high； poor Phoebe's
terrors overmastered both her hostility and her reserve。 〃Doctor；〃
said she； 〃I believe 'tis God's will we shall never see England。 I
must try and die more like a Christian than I have lived； forgiving
all who have wronged me； and you； that have been my good friend and
my worst enemy； but you did not mean it。 Sir； what has turned me
against you soyour wife was my husband's sweetheart before he
married me。〃
〃My wife your husband'syou are dreaming。〃
〃Nay； sir； once she came to my shop； and I saw directly I was
nothing to him； and he owned it all to me； he had courted her； and
she jilted him； so he said。 Why should he tell me a lie about
that？ I'd lay my life 'tis true。 And now you have sent him to her
your own self； and； at sight of her； I shall be nothing again。
Well； when this ship goes down； they can marry； and I hope he will
be happy； happier than I can make him； that tried my best； God
knows。〃
This conversation surprised Staines not a little。 However； he
said； with great warmth； it was false。 His wife had danced and
flirted with some young gentleman at one time； when there was a
brief misunderstanding between him and her； but sweetheart she had
never had； except him。 He courted her fresh from school。 〃Now； my
good soul；〃 said he； 〃make your mind easy； the ship is a good one；
and well handled； and in no danger whatever； and my wife is in no
danger from your husband。 Since you and your brother tell me that
he is a villain； I am bound to believe you。 But my wife is an
angel。 In our miserable hour of parting； she vowed not to marry
again； should I be taken from her。 Marry again！ what am I talking
of？ Why； if he visits her at all； it will be to let her know I am
alive； and give her my letter。 Do you mean to tell me she will
listen to vows of love from him； when her whole heart is in rapture
for me？ Such nonsense！〃
This burst of his did not affront her； and did not comfort her。
At last the wind abated； and after a wearisome calm； a light breeze
came； and the schooner crept homeward。
Phoebe restrained herself for several days； but at last she came
back to the subject； this time it was in an apologetic tone at
starting。 〃I know you think me a foolish woman；〃 she said； 〃but my
poor Reginald could never resist a pretty face； and she