A DREAM AND A REALITY.

THE Professor at last broke the silence. "I could sleep no more that night: I had a repelling horror of the thought, - a fear lest I might dream again. I sat there till the cold light of dawn broadened in the east, and the moon slowly whitened away to nothingness. Then I dressed myself, and, stepping out upon the upper balcony, watched the sunrise. As the colors warmed and deepened on the hills, and the broad ocean sparkled and shimmered, - so unlike that ghostly moon-swept sea of my dream, - this sense of oppression grew less vehement, as all such feelings must by daylight. I was almost recovered from the effects of the night, when I heard a light footstep, and then a pleasant voice, -

"'Is it not a glorious morning, Mr. Raymond?'

"I started violently (in such a sad condition were my nerves), and, turning, saw Bertha Carlin. I recovered myself sufficiently to make an intelligible reply, and we fell to chatting there while waiting for the breakfast-bell to ring, - at least, that must have been our excuse, though the physical feeling of hunger was not a possibility to me just then. I made one discovery that troubled me. Bertha's eyes looked dull and heavy, with dark rings about them, as if she, too, had suffered from loss of sleep. I fancied that she seemed even more nervous than myself; she had a way of compressing her lips that I had never noticed before.

"Suddenly looking up, I saw Mr. Carlin eying us, - as well as he might through those green goggles of his, - from another part of the balcony. Good Heavens! how I recoiled! Such a look - so full of vindictive hatred - I hope I may never see again on the face of any human being. Bertha noted its reflection in mine, and quickly turned her head. He spoke no word, but beckoned, and she went to him. I felt a mad desire to step between them - that he ought hardly to be trusted with his own daughter, but I could only hold my peace.

"Two hours later I had strolled down to the pier, and was watching the little yachts and row-boats gayly starting out with their loads of fishing and picnic parties, when father and daughter came walking down from the hotel together. Mr. Carlin passed me with the barest recognition, but Bertha withdrew her arm from his and stopped short to speak with me. He made no remark but addressed himself to the old skipper of the Rosa, a dainty little yacht, some twenty-four feet or so from stem to stern, and asked him if his boat were yet engaged.

"'At your sarvice, sir,' was the reply.

"'I wish to take it, myself,' said Carlin, abruptly. 'You need not fear; I am an old salt.'

"Captain Scuffles looked at the green goggles, and demurred.

"'Oh, Bertha is eyes for me,' replied Carlin, with a laugh that sounded somewhat forced. 'And she knows all about a yacht, though you might not believe it.'

"'Indeed I do,' interrupted Bertha.

"I know not what impulse made me beg her not to go, as earnestly as I dared. I said it would not be safe for two only; I dared not tell her that I distrusted her father. She laughed at my objections, and asked me if I would accompany and protect them.

"Mr. Carlin turned upon us savagely. 'I am entirely able to take care of my daughter, Mr. Raymond, without the pleasure of your company. . . . If you won't let me have the Rosa, skipper, there are plenty others -'

"Captain Scuffles could only consent. Mr. Carlin, with a surprising degree of agility considering his blindness, climbed down into the yacht, and I helped Bertha after; for the father's rudeness was surely no fault of the daughter. So, the skipper shoving the prow out and I loosing the hawsers, the Rosa cleared the pier, Mr. Carlin hoisting sail with marvellous expertness.

"'Thet 's shipshape enough, I must say,' remarked the captain confidentially; 'but blamed ef I like the man's looks. I wish I hed n't let him hev her, arter all.'

"I heartily agreed with him; and we both stood watching the boat leap forward over the waves; for a good stiff breeze was blowing from the northeast. Bertha looked back several times and waved her handkerchief at me. I took off my hat and swung it in response; but I saw her face only through my tears. You see that dream had made me weak and nervous. Farther and farther away sped the yacht, till the sail was a dim white patch on the horizon.

"'I wish he war n't so fur out,' said the captain. As for myself, I was in a miserably restless state; I could do nothing but wander aimlessly about, now and then straining my eyes after that sail. Finally I turned to the old skipper, -

"'Captain, you have another boat, and now I want to go out.'

"His face brightened visibly, for he discovered my meaning at once. 'Jest ez soon 'z I git a leetle snack o' vittles, sir.'

"I was so impatient to start, that I am afraid I was for a moment disgusted with the honest skipper. He went up to the hotel, and soon returned with a suspiciously large lunch for one person. We took the little fishing-sloop that lay bumping against the pier, and started forth. The wind had freshened, and the sea was pretty rough. The Rosa was just in sight, and we bore down upon it with all sail, - which was one sail. I was trembling with excitement, and I could see that even the grim old captain was not indifferent to the emotions of a pursuit.

"On and on! The Rosa was the larger boat, but, with all Mr. Carlin's boasted seamanship, she was not well managed. 'I 'm ruther afeerd ther's a storm comin',' muttered Captain Scuffles, with an anxious look; and he let loose the sheets a little. The vessel careened and shivered, and leapt forward over the waves. It was now past noon, and the captain opened the suspiciously large package, and passed it to me. I had eaten scarcely any breakfast, and, in spite of the absorbing excitement, the sight of food made me hungry. I acknowledged that he had been wiser than I.

"On and on! Now we could see their faces, and they had recognized us. But Bertha did not wave her handkerchief; she was crouched down in the stern, and Carlin was sitting near, talking angrily, I judged, though I could not hear his voice for the wind. And then the memory of that dream came over me; I divined what was to come. I think I must have been crazy with terror, - I am sure the captain thought I was.

"The boats were now but a few hundred yards apart. Suddenly Bertha rose to her feet, with a scornful gesture, laughing nervously; and then that devil raised his arm and struck her. She reeled backward, fell helplessly over the side; and then the whirling waters closed above her head."

Here the Professor came to a sudden pause.

"Is that all?" I asked, still anxious to learn the fate of the young girl.

"All? Is it not a horrible enough story, - a strange enough interpretation of a strange dream? I never saw Bertha Carlin's face again!"