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Updated: May 4, 2025
He was asking himself if it might be possible that he would be just in time to witness the nuptials of Matson and Morgianna. He had never freed himself from the thought that she loved the lieutenant. Her regard for himself was gratitude not love. He would not allow himself to believe that she entertained a more tender sentiment.
Fernando willingly welcomed the acquaintance as a fourth to the party, for he was shrewd enough to see that the old sailors would be so wholly engrossed with each other, that they would scarcely notice the young people, and Morgianna and he would be left quite to themselves. Then the little craft was cast loose, and the young westerner bent to his oars and sent the boat swiftly through the water.
The most careful and disinterested observer could not have discovered any preference on the part of Morgianna. When they came to the table, she had the lieutenant on one side and Fernando on the other. The old captain at the head engrossed much of Lieutenant Matson's time talking about his father, greatly to the annoyance of the officer.
"You kin never depend on these sea-captains!" Mrs. Hammond declared. But despite all their conjectures, the captain lived in the old stone mansion house with his servants and Morgianna. A few weeks after his arrival, she was christened at the village church as Morgianna Lane, her parents not known. Would wonders never cease?
A wild cheer went up from the Americans within the fort as Morgianna descended from the redoubt with the daring captain. He hurried her away to the bomb-shelter, where her father lay raging and fuming, because his infirmity would not allow him to take part in the contest.
I am glad to say we never met in battle." Fernando felt himself growing just a little bit uneasy. He did not like this friendship between the captain and Lieutenant Matson; and he could see that the old seaman was glad the lieutenant's wound was not fatal. What strange emotion stirred the Ohio student's soul, when he met the soft eyes of Morgianna, words cannot express.
"And your wife, can you describe her?" "She was an exact counterpart of your daughter." Captain Lane rose and with considerable emotion grasped the hand of St. Mark, and said: "My daughter is your daughter." Then came the serious task of breaking the intelligence to Morgianna. It was done deliberately and quietly, without any sensational scene.
Morgianna released her hand and said: "Indeed!" She remarked in the same breath that it was a fine night and, in short, betrayed not the least emotion. With despair still settling over his heart, Fernando said: "I couldn't go without coming to see you. I hadn't the heart to." Morgianna was more sorry than she could tell that he had taken the trouble.
It was a fine, clear night, and for all her lowness of spirits, Morgianna kept looking up at the stars in a manner so bewitching that Fernando was clear out of his senses, and plainly showed that, if ever a man were over head and ears in love, that man was himself.
Fernando had so schooled himself, that, as he took her hand, he said in a most commonplace manner: "I was sent here, Miss Lane. I am a soldier, and wherever duty calls, I go, be it pleasant or unpleasant." Morgianna was not prepared for this. The cool, off-hand manner seemed to hardly indicate the respect of friendship.
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