rare tears were strangling sobs, the very ache of
her wound had a strange savour that she would not have exchanged for
any past content.

* * * * *

Rene, having obeyed his mistress's orders, and left her alone with the
sailors on the beach, withdrew within the shelter of the door, but
remained waiting, near enough to be at hand in case he should be
called.

It was still pitch dark and the rollers growled under a rough wind; he
could catch the sound of a man's voice, now and again, between the
clamour of the sea and the wuthering of the air, but could not
distinguish a word. Presently, however, this ceased, and there came to
him the unmistakable regular beat of oars retreating. The interview
was over, and breathing a sigh of relief at the thought that, at last,
his master's friend would soon be setting on his way to safety, the
servant emerged to seek her ladyship.

A few minutes later he dashed into Sir Adrian's room with a livid
face, and poured forth a confused tale:

Milady had landed without Mademoiselle; had stopped to speak to two of
the _Peregrine_, whilst he waited apart. The men had departed in their
boat.

"The _Peregrine_ men! But the ship has been out of sight these eight
hours!" ejaculated Sir Adrian, bewildered. Then, catching fear from
his servant's distraught countenance:

"My wife," he exclaimed, bounding up; and added, "you left her,
Renny?"

The man struck his breast: he had searched and called.... My Lady was
nowhere to be found. "As God is my witness," he repeated, "I was
within call. My Lady ordered me to leave her. Your honour knows My
Lady has to be obeyed."

"Get lanterns!" said Sir Adrian, the anguish of a greater dread
driving the blood to his heart. Even to one who knew the ground well,
the isle of Scarthey, on a black, stormy night, with the tide high,
was no safe wandering ground. For a moment, the two--comrades of so
many miserable hours--faced each other with white and haggard faces.
Then with the same deadly fear in their hearts, they hurried out into
the soughing wind, down to the beach, baited on all sides by the
swift-darting hissing surf. Running their lanterns close to the
ground, they soon found, by the trampled marks upon the sand, where
the conclave had been held. From thence a double row of heavy
footprints led to the shelving bit of beach where it was the custom
for boats to land from seawards.

"See, your honour, see," cried Rene