OR, VULCAN S PEAK. 29 so please, however, but exploded in a terrible burst of pas sion, which almost carried him off in a fit of apoplexy. Escaping all physical dangers, in the end, Doctor Yard- ley went immediately t Philadelphia, and brought his daughter home. Both Mark and Bridget now felt that they had offended against one of the simplest commands of God. They had not honoured their father and their mother, and even thus early came the consciousness of their offence. It was in Mark s power, however, to go and claim his wife, and remove her to his father s house, not withstanding his minority and that of Bridget. In this last respect, the law offered no obstacle ; but the discretion of Doctor Woolston did. This gentleman, through the agency of a common friend, had an interview with his competitor, and they talked the matter over in a tolerably composed and reasonable temper. Both the parents, as medical men, agreed that it would be better that the young couple should not live together for two or three years, the very tender age of Bridget, in particular, rendering this humane, as well as discreet. Nothing was said of the fortune, which mollified Doctor Yardley a good deal, since he would be left to manage it, or at least to receive the income so long as no legal claimant interfered with his control. Elderly gentlemen submit very easily to this sort of influence. Then, Doctor Woolston was exceedingly polite, and spoke to his rival of a difficult case in his own practice, as if in directly to ask an opinion of his competitor. All this con tributed to render the interview more amicable than had been hoped, and the parties separated, if not friends, at least with an understanding on the subject of future pro ceedings. It was decided that Mark should continue in the Ran- cocus for another voyage. It was known the ship was to proceed to some of the islands of the Pacific, in quest of a cargo of sandal-wood and beche-le-rnar, for the Chinese market, and that her next absence from home would be longer, even, than her last. By the time the vessel re turned, Mark would be of age, and fit to command a ship himself, should it be thought expedient for him to continue in his profession. During the period the vessel still re mained in port, Mark was to pay occasional visits to his 3*
