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Being of the pure Grande Mignon stock, she looked no farther for

a husband than among the men of Freekirk Head, good, honest, able

men, all of them. And her eye fell with favor upon Captain Code

Schofield of the schooner Charming Lass, old schoolfellow,

playmate, and lifelong friend.

The money she had mailed to him had only been an excuse to write

a letter; the favors to Ma Schofield were, in great part, to help

further her plan; the whole business of helping support Freekirk

Head was a flash of dramatic display, calculated to bring her

ineradicably before Code's eyes--and every one else's.

As she sat near the window and saw the sunset glow die over the

mountain ridge she asked herself what she had achieved.

Apparently very little. She felt the futility of human endeavor

and desire. To her knowledge Code was in love with nobody,

although rumor had for years linked his name with Nellie

Tanner's. That was exploded now, for Nellie was engaged to Nat

Burns.

Why did he not respond?