"In the army?"

"No: formerly in the navy."

"And you and he had a long talk together?"

Randal's tones began to betray irritation. "No," he said "the
Captain went away early."

Mrs. Presty's vigorous intellect discovered an improbability
here. "Then how came you to feel interested in him?" she
objected.

Even Randal's patience gave way. "I can't account for it," he
said sharply. "I only know I took a liking to Captain Bennydeck."
He left Mrs. Presty and sat down by his brother. "You know I feel
for you," he said, taking Linley's hand. "Try to hope."

The bitterness of the father's despair broke out in his answer.
"I can bear other troubles, Randal, as well as most men. This
affliction revolts me. There's something so horribly unnatural in
the child being threatened by death, while the parents (who
should die first) are alive and well--" He checked himself. "I
had better say no more, I shall only shock you."

The misery in his face wrung the faithful heart of his wife. She
forgot the conciliatory expressions which she had prepared
herself to use. "Hope, my dear, as Randal tells you," she said,
"because there _is_ hope."