The islands were still ringed with the pearly ring of ice-floes, and for one brief spring day, for this lover, it was enough to be yet imprisoned in the same bit of green earth with his lady, to think of all the noble things she had said and done, and, by her influence, to see new vistas opening into eternity in which they two walked together.

There was even some self-gratulation that he had attained to faith in Heaven.

He was one of those people who always suppose that they would be glad to have faith if they could.

It was not faith, however, that had come to him, only a refining and quickening of his imagination.
Quick upon the heels of these high dreams came their test, for life is not a dream.
Between the Magdalen Islands and the mainland, besides the many stray schooners that came and went, there were two lines of regular communication--one was by a sailing vessel which carried freight regularly to and from the port of Gaspe; the other was by a small packet steamer that once a week came from Nova Scotia and Prince Edward's Island, and returned by the same route.

It was by this steamer, on her first appearance, that Caius ought reasonably to return to his home.