Colonel Bishop should be a hostage for his safety.

By rashly venturing aboard his ship, I afforded him in my own person yet another hostage as valuable at least as Colonel Bishop.

Yet he bade me depart; not from the fear of consequences, for he is above fear, nor from any personal esteem for me whom he confessed that he had come to find detestable; and this for the very reason that made him concerned for my safety." "I do not understand," she said, as he paused.

"Is not that a contradiction in itself ?" "It seems so only.

The fact is, Arabella, this unfortunate man has the...