"  She  never  closed  her  eyes,"  explained  the  captain,
"  during  the  entire  passage ;  and  the  reaction  is  too
great."

"  O  mother  !  darling  mother  !  "  piteously  cried  Fitz,
"  it  would  be  too  hard  to  lose  you  now."

Mr.  Winthrop  was  completely  unmanned  at  the
sight  of  the  beautiful  wreck,  and  wept  aloud.
It  was  long  before  the  sad,  soft  eyes  unclosed  :  then
they  became  fixed  on  Fitz,  as  though  she  was  not
certain  it  was  he.
"  It  is  your  Fitz,  mamma.     We  are  at  Uncle  Win-


FITZ-HUGII    ST.    CLAIR.  225

tlirop's,  and  I  am  happier  than  I  ever  expected  to  be  in
this  world  again."

A  gentle  pressure  of  the  hand  told  him  she  knew
what  he  was  saying.
Hans  —  impulsive  boy  !  —  had  written  to  her  on  the
Sunday  when  Fitz  was  arrested.  He  only  wrote  a  few
lines,  but  enough  to  have  made  her  cross  the  Atlantic,
if  her  boy  had  been  there.     The  letter  read  :

Mrs.  St.  Clair  :

Fitz  has  gone,  in  ter  rain,  mit  a  constable,  to  the
jail,  for  teafing  diamonds.     Ach  mein  Gott !

Hans.
