North　shook　his　head。　　He　would　not　accuse　Burgess。　　He　would　let　the　events　speak　for　themselves。　　〃I　only　ask　for　an　inquiry；〃　said　he。
  〃Yes；　my　dear　sir；　I　know。　　Very　proper　indeed　on　your　part；　if　you　think　any　injustice　has　been　done；　but　have　you　considered　the　expense；　the　delay；　the　immense　trouble　and　dissatisfaction　all　this　will　give？〃
  〃No　trouble；　no　expense；　no　dissatisfaction；　should　stand　in　the　way　of　humanity　and　justice；〃　cried　North。
  〃Of　course　not。　　But　will　justice　be　done？　Are　you　sure　you　can　prove　your　case？　　Mind；　I　admit　nothing　against　Captain　Burgess；　whom　I　have　always　considered　a　most　worthy　and　zealous　officer；　but；　supposing　your　charge　to　be　true；　can　you　prove　it？〃
  〃Yes。　　If　the　witnesses　speak　the　truth。〃
  〃Who　are　they？〃　〃Myself；　Dr。　Macklewain；　the　constable；　and　two　prisoners；　one　of　whom　was　flogged　himself。　　He　will　speak　the　truth；　I　believe。　The　other　man　I　have　not　much　faith　in。〃
  〃Very　well；　then　there　is　only　a　prisoner　and　Dr。　Macklewain；　for　if　there　has　been　foul　play　the　convict…constable　will　not　accuse　the　authorities。　　Moreover；　the　doctor　does　not　agree　with　you。〃
  〃No？〃　cried　North；　amazed。
  〃No。　　You　see；　then；　my　dear　sir；　how　necessary　it　is　not　to　be　hasty　in　matters　of　this　kind。　　I　really　thinkpardon　me　for　my　plainness　that　your　goodness　of　heart　has　misled　you。　　Captain　Burgess　sends　a　report　of　the　case。　　He　says　the　man　was　sentenced　to　a　hundred　lashes　for　gross　insolence　and　disobedience　of　orders；　that　the　doctor　was　present　during　the　punishment；　and　that　the　man　was　thrown　off　by　his　directions　after　he　had　received　fifty…six　lashes。　　That；　after　a　short　interval；　he　was　found　to　be　dead；　and　that　the　doctor　made　a　post…mortem　examination　and　found　disease　of　the　heart。〃
  North　started。　　〃A　post…mortem？　I　never　knew　there　had　been　one　held。〃
  〃Here　is　the　medical　certificate；〃　said　Vickers；　holding　it　out；　〃accompanied　by　the　copies　of　the　evidence　of　the　constable　and　a　letter　from　the　Commandant。〃
  Poor　North　took　the　papers　and　read　them　slowly。　　They　were　apparently　straightforward　enough。　　Aneurism　of　the　ascending　aorta　was　given　as　the　cause　of　death；　and　the　doctor　frankly　admitted　that　had　he　known　the　deceased　to　be　suffering　from　that　complaint　he　would　not　have　permitted　him　to　receive　more　than　twenty…five　lashes。　　〃I　think　Macklewain　is　an　honest　man；〃　said　North；　doubtfully。　　〃He　would　not　dare　to　return　a　false　certificate。　　Yet　the　circumstances　of　the　casethe　horrible　condition　of　the　prisonersthe　frightful　story　of　that　boy〃
  〃I　cannot　enter　into　these　questions；　Mr。　North。　　My　position　here　is　to　administer　the　law　to　the　best　of　my　ability；　not　to　question　it。〃
  North　bowed　his　head　to　the　reproof。　　In　some　sort　of　justly　unjust　way；　he　felt　that　he　deserved　it。　　〃I　can　say　no　more；　sir。　　I　am　afraid　I　am　helpless　in　this　matteras　I　have　been　in　others。　　I　see　that　the　evidence　is　against　me；　but　it　is　my　duty　to　carry　my　efforts　as　far　as　I　can；　and　I　will　do　so。〃　Vickers　bowed　stiffly　and　wished　him　good　morning。　　Authority；　however　well…meaning　in　private　life；　has　in　its　official　capacity　a　natural　dislike　to　those　dissatisfied　persons　who　persist　in　pushing　inquiries　to　extremities。
  North；　going　out　with　saddened　spirits；　met　in　the　passage　a　beautiful　young　girl。　　It　was　Sylvia；　coming　to　visit　her　father。　He　lifted　his　hat　and　looked　after　her。　　He　guessed　that　she　was　the　daughter　of　the　man　he　had　leftthe　wife　of　the　Captain　Frere　concerning　whom　he　had　heard　so　much。　　North　was　a　man　whose　morbidly　excited　brain　was　prone　to　strange　fancies；　and　it　seemed　to　him　that　beneath　the　clear　blue　eyes　that　flashed　upon　him　for　a　moment；　lay　a　hint　of　future　sadness；　in　which；　in　some　strange　way；　he　himself　was　to　bear　part。　He　stared　after　her　figure　until　it　disappeared；　and　long　after　the　dainty　presence　of　the　young　bridetrimly　booted；　tight…waisted；　and　neatly…glovedhad　faded；　with　all　its　sunshine　of　gaiety　and　health；　from　out　of　his　mental　vision；　he　still　saw　those　blue　eyes　and　that　cloud　of　golden　hair。
  CHAPTER　XVII。
  CAPTAIN　AND　MRS。　FRERE。
  Sylvia　had　become　the　wife　of　Maurice　Frere。　　The　wedding　created　excitement　in　the　convict　settlement；　for　Maurice　Frere；　though　oppressed　by　the　secret　shame　at　open　matrimony　which　affects　men　of　his　character；　could　not　in　decencyseeing　how　〃good　a　thing　for　him〃　was　this　wealthy　alliancedemand　unceremonious　nuptials。　　So；　after　the　fashion　of　the　townthere　being　no　〃continent〃　or　〃Scotland〃　adjacent　as　a　hiding　place　for　bridal　blushesthe　alliance　was　entered　into　with　due　pomp　of　ball　and　supper；　bride　and　bridegroom　departing　through　the　golden　afternoon　to　the　nearest　of　Major　Vickers's　stations。　Thence　it　had　been　arranged　they　should　return　after　a　fortnight；　and　take　ship　for　Sydney。
  Major　Vickers；　affectionate　though　he　was　to　the　man　whom　he　believed　to　be　the　saviour　of　his　child；　had　no　notion　of　allowing　him　to　live　on　Sylvia's　fortune。　　He　had　settled　his　daughter's　portionten　thousand　poundsupon　herself　and　children；　and　had　informed　Frere　that　he　expected　him　to　live　upon　an　income　of　his　own　earning。　　After　many　consultations　between　the　pair；　it　had　been　arranged　that　a　civil　appointment　in　Sydney　would　best　suit　the　bridegroom；　who　was　to　sell　out　of　the　service。　This　notion　was　Frere's　own。　　He　never　cared　for　military　duty；　and　had；　moreover；　private　debts　to　no　inconsiderable　amount。　　By　selling　his　commission　he　would　be　enabled　at　once　to　pay　these　debts；　and　render　himself　eligible　for　any　well…paid　post　under　the　Colonial　Government　that　the　interest　of　his　father…in…law；　and　his　own　reputation　as　a　convict　disciplinarian；　might　procure。　　Vickers　would　fain　have　kept　his　daughter　with　him；　but　he　unselfishly　acquiesced　in　the　scheme；　admitting　that　Frere's　plea　as　to　the　comforts　she　would　derive　from　the　society　to　be　found　in　Sydney　was　a　valid　one。
  〃You　can　come　over　and　see　us　when　we　get　settled；　papa；〃　said　Sylvia；　with　a　young　matron's　pride　of　place；　〃and　we　can　come　and　see　you。　Hobart　Town　is　very　pretty；　but　I　want　to　see　the　world。〃
  〃You　should　go　to　London；　Poppet；〃　said　Maurice；　〃that's　the　place。　Isn't　it；　sir？〃
  〃Oh；　London！〃　cries　Sylvia；　clapping　her　hands。　　〃And　Westminster　Abbey；　and　the　Tower；　and　St。　　James's　Palace；　and　Hyde　Park；　and　Fleet…street！〃　'Sir；'　said　Dr。　Johnson；　'let　us　take　a　walk　down　Fleet…street。'　Do　you　remember；　in　Mr。　Croker's　book；　Maurice？　　No；　you　don't　I　know；　because　you　only　looked　at　the　pictures；　and　then　read　Pierce　Egan's　account　of　the　Topping　Fight　between　Bob　Gaynor　and　Ned　Neal；　or　some　such　person。〃
  〃Little　girls　should　be　seen　and　not　heard；〃　said　Maurice；　between　a　laugh　and　a　blush。　　〃You　have　no　business　to　read　my　books。〃
  〃Why　not？〃　she　asked；　with　a　gaiety　which　already　seemed　a　little　strained；　〃husband　and　wife　should　have　no　secrets　from　each　other；　sir。　Besides；　I　want　you　to　read　my　books。　　I　am　going　to　read　Shelley　to　you。〃
  〃Don't；　my　dear；〃　said　Maurice　simply。　　〃I　can't　understand　him。〃
  This　little　scene　took　place　at　the　dinner…table　of　Frere's　cottage；　in　New　Town；　to　which　Major　Vickers　had　been　invited；　in　order　that　future　plans　might　be　discussed。
  〃I　don't　want　to　go　to　Port　Arthur；〃　said　the　bride；　later　in　the　evening。　〃Maurice；　there　can　be　no　necessity　to　go　there。〃
  〃Well；〃　said　Maurice。　　〃I　want　to　have　a　look　at　the　place。　I　ought　to　be　familiar　with　all　phases　of　convict　discipline；　you　know。〃
  〃There　is　likely　to　be　a　report　ordered　upon　the　death　of　a　prisoner；〃　said　Vickers。　　〃The　chaplain；　a　fussy　but　well…meaning　person；　has　been　memorializing　about　it。　　You　may　as　well　do　it　as　anybody　else；　Maurice。〃
  〃Ay。　　And　save　the　expenses　of　the　trip；〃　said　Maurice。
  〃But　it　is　so　melancholy；〃　cried　Sylvia。
  〃The　most　delightful　place　in　the　island；　my　dear。　　I　was　there　for　a　few　days　once；　and　I　really　was　charmed。〃
  It　was　remarkableso　Vickers　thoughthow　each　of　these　newly…mated　ones　had　caught　something　of　the　other's　manner　of　speech。　　Sylvia　was　less　choice　in　her　mode　of　utterance；　Frere　more　so。　　He　caught　himself　wondering　which　of　the　two　methods　both　would　finally　adopt。
  〃But　those　dogs；　and　sharks；　and　things。　　Oh；　Maurice；　haven't　we　had　enough　of　convicts？〃
  〃Enough！　　Why；　I'm　going　to　make　my　living　out　of　'em；〃　said　Maurice；　with　his　most　natural　manner。
  Sylvia　sighed。
  〃Play　something；　darling；〃　said　her　father；　and　so　the　girl；　sitting　down　to　the　piano；　trilled　and　warbled　in　her　pure　young　voice；　until　the　Port　Arthur　question　floated　itself　away　upon　waves　of　melody；　and　was　heard　of　no　more　for　that　time。　　But　upon　pursuing　the　subject；　Sylvia　found　her　husband　firm。　　He　wanted　to　go；　and　he　would　go。　Having　once　assured　himself　that　it　was　advantageous　to　him　to　do　a　certain　thing；　the　native　obstinacy　of　the　animal　urged　him　to　do　it　despite　all　opposition　from　others；　and　Sylvia；　having　had　her　first　〃cry〃　over　the　question　of　the　visit；　gave　up　the　point。　　This　was　the　first　difference　of　their　short　married　life；　and　she　hastened　to　condone　it。　In　the　sunshine　of　Love　and　Marriagefor　Maurice　at　first　really　loved　her；　and　love；　curbing　the　worst　part　of　him；　b