He knew that they were false.

But the falseness was not of a nature to cause him to be ashamed.
It shames no man to swear that he loves a woman when he has ceased to love her;--but it does shame him to drop off from the love which he has promised.

He balanced the matter in his mind for a while before he would send his letter.

Then, getting up quickly, he rushed forth, and dropped it into the post-office box.
The very next day chance brought to Ahalala one who had been a passenger on board the Goldfinder; and the man, hearing of the success of Shand and Caldigate came to see them.

'Of course you know,' said the man, 'what your fellow-passenger is doing down at Sydney ?' Dick Shand, who was present, replied that they had heard nothing of any fellow-passenger.