Sustained honor Part 33

After a long silence Fernando asked:

"Is he married?"

"Who?" asked Sukey.

"Faith, the captain's absent minded," put in Terrence.

"I mean Lieutenant Matson."

"Not as I know of."

"Did you see him after we left Mariana?"

"Yes."

"When?"

"Only six days before we were captured by Decatur. We touched at the Canary Islands, and the _Xenophon_ was there. He came aboard our vessel."

"Did he recognize you?"

"No," Sukey answered. "Had he known me he wouldn't a-talked with a common sailor."

"Was he married then?"

"No; I heard him tell Captain Garden that he was still single."

Fernando heaved another sigh and asked:

"Did he say--did he say anything about her?"

"Who?"

Fernando heaved another sigh and asked:

"Did he say--did he say anything about her?'7

"Who?"

The conversation was not interesting to Terrence and he had gone to another part of the camp, to engage in a game of cards with a sentry.

"Morgianna," Fernando said.

"Morgianna? no--she is the girl at Mariana, isn't she?"

"Yes."

"I didn't hear him mention her name."

"They are not married yet?"

"No."

"Perhaps I was mistaken after all," said Fernando thoughtfully. "May be she don't care for him."

Then Fernando sighed again and gazed into the smouldering fire. After several minutes more, he said:

"Sukey, she must be in love with him."

"I thought so."

Fernando sighed and remarked:

"She may have married some one else, though."

"No, she ain't."

"Have you heard of her?"

"I saw her!" Sukey declared.

"When?"

"When I was in Baltimore last winter."

"Did you talk with her, Sukey?"

"No."

"Then how did you know she was not married?"

"When I was in Baltimore last winter."

"Did you talk with her, Sukey?"

"No."

"Then how did you know she was not married?"

"I was in a store and overheard two women who knew her gossiping. One asked the other if Morgianna Lane was married yet. One said:

"'I thought she would marry the English lieutenant.'

"The other said:

"'No, not yet. I suppose they are waiting till the war is over.'

"'Has she no other lover?' asked the other. Then the other woman said she believed not, at least none ever came to see her."