Page:The Wreck of a World - Grove - 1890.djvu/163

Rh sions—Aurelia sat down among them and told them her story. In simple language she told them what they already dimly knew—how they had been driven from their homes by an enemy never encountered before; how she had been lost, how Gell had searched for her, and how nearly they had met; how for years she had lived alone with none to speak to, and how at length she had sailed in a great ship over the sea for six months till she had found her father and her lover safe at last. "And now, dear children, comes the happiest part of my whole story, for I am going to marry Mr. Gell on this day week, and I want you all to come to the wedding."

So it was done. In the wide square which formed our market, and in the presence of our whole population, Aurelia was united to her faithful lover amid the acclamations of our little world.

And what became of Dana? He had a second talk with Aurelia, and another with me, the result of which was that after bravely staying through the marriage ceremony he set sail shortly after with two of our ships, his own vessel the Roanoke, and the one which brought home my daughter, which was re-christened the