Howdidwecometogososoon？”
　　“Well，we’llhavetohaveatalkoverallthis。”saidJimwithasuddenstart。“Ishouldbegettingtomybooks；andIguessyouhadbettergouprightawaytoMamie。She’satSpeedy’s。Sheexpectsyouwithimpatience。Sheregardsyouinthelightofafavouritebrother，Loudon。”
　　Anyschemewaswelcomewhichallowedmetopostponethehourofexplanation，andavoidwereitonlyforabreathingspacethetopicoftheFlyingScud。IhastenedaccordinglytoBushStreet。Mrs。Speedy，alreadyrejoicinginthereturnofaspouse，hailedmewithacclamation。“Andit’sbeautifulyou’relooking，Mr。Dodd，mydear。”shewaskindenoughtosay。
　　“Andamiracletheynaygurwaheeniesletyelavetheoilands。I
　　havemysuspicionsofShpeedy。”sheadded，roguishly。“Didyeseehimafterthenaygressesnow？”
　　IgaveSpeedyanunblemishedcharacter。
　　“Theoneofyewillniverbethraytheother。”saidtheplayfuldame，andusheredmeintoabareroom，whereMamiesatworkingatype-writer。
　　Iwastouchedbythecordialityofhergreeting。Withtheprettiestgestureintheworldshegavemebothherhands；
　　wheeledforthachair；andproduced，fromacupboard，atinofmyfavouritetobacco，andabookofmyexclusivecigarettepapers。
　　“There！”shecried；“yousee，Mr。Loudon，wewereallpreparedforyou；thethingswereboughttheverydayyousailed。”
　　Iimaginedshehadalwaysintendedmeapleasantwelcome；
　　butthecertainfervourofsincerity，whichIcouldnothelpremarking，flowedfromanunexpectedsource。CaptainNares，withakindnessforwhichIcanneverbesufficientlygrateful，hadstolenamomentfromhisoccupations，driventocallonMamie，anddrawnheragenerouspictureofmyprowessatthewreck。Shewascarefulnottobreatheawordofthisinterview，tillshehadledmeontotellmyadventuresformyself。
　　“Ah！CaptainNareswasbetter。”shecried，whenIhaddone。
　　“Fromyouraccount，Ihaveonlylearnedonenewthing，thatyouaremodestaswellasbrave。”
　　IcannottellwithwhatsortofdisclamationIsoughttoreply。
　　“Itisofnouse。”saidMamie。“Iknowahero。AndwhenI
　　heardofyouworkingalldaylikeacommonlabourer，withyourhandsbleedingandyournailsbroken——andhowyoutoldthecaptainto’crackon’Ithinkhesaidinthestorm，whenhewasterrifiedhimself——andthedangerofthathorridmutiny“——
　　Nareshadbeenobliginglydippinghisbrushinearthquakeandeclipse——“andhowitwasalldone，inpartatleast，forJimandme——Ifeltwecouldneversayhowweadmiredandthankedyou。”
　　“Mamie。”Icried，“don’ttalkofthanks；itisnotawordtobeusedbetweenfriends。JimandIhavebeenprosperoustogether；nowweshallbepoortogether。We’vedoneourbest，andthat’sallthatneedbesaid。Thenextthingisformetofindasituation，andsendyouandJimupcountryforalongholidayintheredwoods——foraholidayJimhasgottohave。”
　　“Jimcan’ttakeyourmoney，Mr。Loudon。”saidMamie。
　　“Jim？”criedI。“He’sgotto。Didn’tItakehis？”
　　Presentlyafter，Jimhimselfarrived，andbeforehehadyetdonemoppinghisbrow，hewasatmewiththeaccursedsubject。
　　“Now，Loudon。”saidhe，“herewearealltogether，theday’sworkdoneandtheeveningbeforeus；juststartinwiththewholestory。”
　　“Onewordonbusinessfirst。”saidI，speakingfromthelipsoutward，andmeanwhileintheprivateapartmentsofmybraintryingforthethousandthtimetofindsomeplausiblearrangementofmystory。“Iwanttohaveanotionhowwestandaboutthebankruptcy。”
　　“O，that’sancienthistory。”criedJim。“Wepaidsevencents，andawonderwedidaswell。Thereceiver——“methoughtaspasmseizedhimatthenameofthisofficial，andhebrokeoff。
　　“Butit’sallpastanddonewithanyway；andwhatIwanttogetatisthefactsaboutthewreck。Idon’tseemtounderstandit；
　　appearstomelikeastherewassomethingunderneath。”
　　“TherewasnothingINit，anyway。”Isaid，withaforcedlaugh。
　　“That’swhatIwanttojudgeof。”returnedJim。
　　“HowthemischiefisitIcanneverkeepyoutothatbankruptcy？Itlooksasifyouavoidedit。”saidI——foramaninmysituation，withunpardonablefolly。
　　“Don’titlookalittleasifyouweretryingtoavoidthewreck？”
　　askedJim。
　　Itwasmyowndoing；therewasnoretreat。“Mydearfellow，ifyoumakeapointofit，heregoes！”saidI，andlaunchedwithspuriousgaietyintothecurrentofmytale。Itolditwithpointandspirit；describedtheislandandthewreck，mimickedAndersonandtheChinese，maintainedthesuspense。Mypenhasstumbledonthefatalword。Imaintainedthesuspensesowellthatitwasneverrelieved；andwhenIstopped——Idarenotsayconcluded，wheretherewasnoconclusion——IfoundJimandMamieregardingmewithsurprise。
　　“Well？”saidJim。
　　“Well，that’sall。”saidI。
　　“Buthowdoyouexplainit？”heasked。
　　“Ican’texplainit。”saidI。
　　Mamiewaggedherheadominously。
　　“But，greatCaesar’sghost！themoneywasoffered！”criedJim。
　　“Itwon’tdo，Loudon；it’snonsense，onthefaceofit！Idon’tsaybutwhatyouandNaresdidyourbest；I’msure，ofcourse，youdid；butIdosay，yougotfooled。Isaythestuffisinthatshipto-day，andIsayImeantogetit。”
　　“Thereisnothingintheship，Itellyou，butoldwoodandiron！”
　　saidI。
　　“You’llsee。”saidJim。“NexttimeIgomyself。I’lltakeMamieforthetrip；Longhurstwon’trefusemetheexpenseofaschooner。YouwaittillIgetthesearchingofher。”
　　“Butyoucan’tsearchher！”criedI。“She’sburned。”
　　“Burned！”criedMamie，startingalittlefromtheattitudeofquiescentcapacityinwhichshehadhithertosattohearme，herhandsfoldedinherlap。
　　Therewasanappreciablepause。
　　“Ibegyourpardon，Loudon。”beganJimatlast，“butwhyinsnakesdidyouburnher？”
　　“ItwasanideaofNares’s。”saidI。
　　“Thisiscertainlythestrangestcircumstanceofall。”observedMamie。
　　“Imustsay，Loudon，itdoesseemkindofunexpected。”addedJim。“Itseemskindofcrazyeven。Whatdidyou——whatdidNaresexpecttogainbyburningher？”
　　“Idon’tknow；itdidn’tseemtomatter；wehadgotalltherewastoget。”saidI。
　　“That’stheverypoint。”criedJim。“Itwasquiteplainyouhadn’t。”
　　“Whatmadeyousosure？”askedMamie。
　　“HowcanItellyou？”Icried。“Wehadbeenallthroughher。
　　WeWEREsure；that’sallthatIcansay。”
　　“Ibegintothinkyouwere。”shereturned，withasignificantemphasis。
　　Jimhurriedlyintervened。“WhatIdon’tquitemakeout，Loudon，isthatyoudon’tseemtoappreciatethepeculiaritiesofthething。”saidhe。“Itdoesn’tseemtohavestruckyousameasitdoesme。”
　　“Pshaw！whygoonwiththis？”criedMamie，suddenlyrising。
　　“Mr。Doddisnottellinguseitherwhathethinksorwhatheknows。”
　　“Mamie！”criedJim。
　　“Youneednotbeconcernedforhisfeelings，James；heisnotconcernedforyours。”returnedthelady。“Hedarenotdenyit，besides。Andthisisnotthefirsttimehehaspractisedreticence。Haveyouforgottenthatheknewtheaddress，anddidnottellityouuntilthatmanhadescaped？”
　　Jimturnedtomepleadingly——wewereallonourfeet。
　　“Loudon。”hesaid，“youseeMamiehassomefancy；andImustsaythere’sjustasortofashadowofanexcuse；foritIS
　　bewildering——eventome，Loudon，withmytrainedbusinessintelligence。ForGod’ssake，clearitup。”
　　“Thisservesmeright。”saidI。“Ishouldnothavetriedtokeepyouinthedark；IshouldhavetoldyouatfirstthatIwaspledgedtosecrecy；Ishouldhaveaskedyoutotrustmeinthebeginning。ItisallIcandonow。Thereismoreofthestory，butitconcernsnoneofus，andmytongueistied。Ihavegivenmywordofhonour。Youmusttrustmeandtrytoforgiveme。”
　　“IdaresayIamverystupid，Mr。Dodd。”beganMamie，withanalarmingsweetness，“butIthoughtyouwentuponthistripasmyhusband’srepresentativeandwithmyhusband’smoney？
　　Youtellusnowthatyouarepledged，butIshouldhavethoughtyouwerepledgedfirstofalltoJames。Yousayitdoesnotconcernus；wearepoorpeople，andmyhusbandissick，anditconcernsusagreatdealtounderstandhowwecometohavelostourmoney，andwhyourrepresentativecomesbacktouswithnothing。Youaskthatweshouldtrustyou；youdonotseemtounderstand；thequestionweareaskingourselvesiswhetherwehavenottrustedyoutoomuch。”
　　“Idonotaskyoutotrustme。”Ireplied。“IaskJim。Heknowsme。”
　　“YouthinkyoucandowhatyoupleasewithJames；youtrusttohisaffection，doyounot？Andme，Isuppose，youdonotconsider。”saidMamie。“Butitwasperhapsanunfortunatedayforyouwhenweweremarried，forIatleastamnotblind。Thecrewrunaway，theshipissoldforagreatdealofmoney，youknowthatman’saddressandyouconcealit，youdonotfindwhatyouweresenttolookfor，andyetyouburntheship；andnow，whenweaskexplanations，youarepledgedtosecrecy！
　　ButIampledgedtonosuchthing；Iwillnotstandbyinsilenceandseemysickandruinedhusbandbetrayedbyhiscondescendingfriend。Iwillgiveyouthetruthforonce。Mr。
　　Dodd，youhavebeenboughtandsold。”
　　“Mamie。”criedJim，“nomoreofthis！It’smeyou’restriking；
　　it’sonlymeyouhurt。Youdon’tknow，youcannotunderstandthesethings。Why，to-day，ifithadn’tbeenforLoudon，I
　　couldn’thavelookedyouintheface。Hesavedmyhonesty。”
　　“Ihaveheardplentyofthistalkbefore。”shereplied。“Youareasweet-heartedfool，andIloveyouforit。ButIamaclear-
　　headedwoman；myeyesareopen，andIunderstandthisman’shypocrisy。Didhenotcomehereto-dayandpretendhewouldtakeasituation——pretendhewouldsharehishard-earnedwageswithusuntilyouwerewell？Pretend！Itmakesmefurious！
　　Hiswages！ashareofhiswages！Thatwouldhavebeenyourpittance，thatwouldhavebeenyourshareoftheFlyingScud——youwhoworkedandtoiledforhimwhenhewasabeggarinthestreetsofParis。Butwedonotwantyourcharity；
　　thankGod，Icanworkformyownhusband！Seewhatitistohaveobligedagentleman。Hewouldletyoupickhimupwhenhewasbegging；hewouldstandandlookon，andletyoublackhisshoes，andsneeratyou。ForyouwerealwayssneeringatmyJames；youalwayslookeddownuponhiminyourheart，youknowit！”SheturnedbacktoJim。“Andnowwhenheisrich。”shebegan，andthenswoopedagainonme。“Foryouarerich，Idareyoutodenyit；Idefyyoutolookmeinthefaceandtrytodenythatyouarerich——richwithourmoney——myhusband’smoney——“
　　Heavenknowstowhataheightshemighthaverisen，being，bythistime，bodilywhirledawayinherownhurricaneofwords。
　　Heart-sickness，ablackdepression，atreacheroussympathywithmyassailant，pityunutterableforpoorJim，alreadyfilled，divided，andabashedmyspirit。Flightseemedtheonlyremedy；andmakingaprivatesigntoJim，asiftoaskpermission，Islunkfromtheunequalfield。
　　Iwasbutalittlewaydownthestreet，whenIwasarrestedbythesoundofsomeonerunning，andJim’svoicecallingmebyname。Hehadfollowedmewithaletterwhichhadbeenlongawaitingmyreturn。