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That passenger, sir, was Ephraim Quendale himself, the owner of the ship, who, from what I gather, seems to have been returning to his native land, having been on a trip to Scotland with his young wife and their child.
"I have here," he said, "a letter that I got yesterday from widow Ericson. It is a letter addressed to her husband, Sandy Ericson, and it was written by Ephraim Quendale on the eve of his departure from Kirkwall to Copenhagen. I will read it: "'Pilot Ericson "'I have been fortunate enough to find a ship in this port bound for my own land.
Quendale had promised to my father and others that he would be back again in Pomona in a few months, but since that time he had never been heard of. On passing the place where the vessel struck, now calm and peaceful after the storm, he shortened sail and rowed inshore.
We read the word "Undine." The schoolmaster then opened the box and took from it a bundle of papers and a book, handing them to the bailie. "By these you will see, sir, that the barque Undine sailed from Glasgow, bound for Copenhagen, and that her owner's name was Quendale Ephraim Quendale, of Copenhagen.
I beg that you will do me the goodness to have my beloved wife's name, Thora Quendale, inscribed on the tombstone, and also that you will take charge of all wreckage that may be gathered from the remains of my poor ship.
"But, Andrew, man, how do you explain their keeping Thora and bringing her up as their own bairn if, as you affirm, she was known to be the daughter of other parents?" "Simply in this way," said Mr. Drever; "Carver, you see, knew very well that Mr. Quendale was expected back in Orkney. He kept the girl, as his wife confesses, hoping for a ransom from so wealthy a father.
The drowned woman was recognized by Quendale as his wife, and she was afterwards buried with the child in the old burying ground of Yeskenaby. "Two days afterwards that is to say on the fifth day after the wreck Ephraim Quendale and the Danish sailor left Orkney." Here Andrew Drever put his hand in his breast pocket and drew out a paper.
Should you discover the other body, I beg you will write me a full description of its appearance and forward it by the first ship to me, at Copenhagen, in Denmark. "'Ephraim Quendale'" The schoolmaster handed the letter to Bailie Duke, who read it over to himself and asked a few questions regarding its contents. "Mr. Quendale never returned to Orkney?" said he. "No," replied the dominie.
Andrew took the ring nearer to the light. "The characters are Danish!" said he excitedly. "It is the name 'Thora Quendale!" "Well, all this is unmistakable evidence," said Mr. Duke. "I think you have proved, Andrew, that this passenger on the Pilgrim and the owner of the Undine were one and the same person. The ring is a lady's ring. Probably it belonged to Quendale's wife."
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