"Jem," she cried breathlessly, "is it really you? I can hardly believe
it. Where have you been all this long time? Where have you been?"
"Lots of places," said the captain, who was not prepared to answer a
question like that offhand; "but wherever I've been"--he held up his
hand theatrically--"the image of my dear lost wife has been always in
front of me."
"I knew you at once, Jem," said Mrs. Pepper fondly, smoothing the hair
back from his forehead. "Have I altered much?"
"Not a bit," said Crippen, holding her at arm's length and carefully
regarding her. "You look just the same as the first time I set eyes on
you."
"Where have you been?" wailed Martha Pepper, putting her head on his
shoulder.
"When the Dolphin went down from under me, and left me fighting with the
waves for life and Martha, I was cast ashore on a desert island," began
Crippen fluently. "There I remained for nearly three years, when I was
rescued by a barque bound for New South Wales. There I met a man from
Poole who told me you were dead. Having no further interest in the land
of my birth, I sailed in Australian waters for many years, and it was
only lately that I heard how cruelly I had been deceived, and that my
little flower was still blooming."
The little flower's head being well down on his shoulder again, the
celebrated actor exchanged glances with the worshipping Pepper.
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