ady walked beside him and stood beside him without a word, in the
falling rain. The boat went backwards and forwards twice; before the
hour had run out, the luckless cargo was all once more landed, and the
captain heard with infinite relief the last oar-strokes dwindling away
in the distance, and saw the lights suddenly disappear.

"You have been very patient," he said to Molly then, with a gentle
note in his voice.

But she did not answer. Are the souls of the damned patient?

* * * * *

"My Lady and Mr. the Captain! My God--my God! so wet--so tired!
Enter--enter in the name of heaven. It is good, in verity, to have My
Lady back, but, Mr. the Captain, is it well for _him_ to be here? And
Madam is ill? She goes pale and red by turns. Madam has the fever for
sure! And her arm is hurt, and she is as wet as the first time she
came here. Ah, Lord God, what are we coming to? Fire we must have. I
shall send the wife."

"Ay, do so, man," cried Captain Jack, looking with concern at Lady
Landale, who in truth seemed scarcely able to stand, and whose
fluctuating colour and cracked fevered lips gave painful corroboration
to Rene's surmise, "your mistress must be instantly attended to."

But Molly arrested the servant as he would have hurried past upon his
errand.

"Your master?" she said in a dry whisper, "is he at Pulwick?"

"His honour! My faith, I must be but half-awake yet. Imbecile that I
am, his honour--where is he? Is he not with you? No, indeed, he is not
at Pulwick, My Lady; he has gone to St. Malo to seek you. Nothing
would serve him but that he must go. And so he did not reach in time
to meet you? Ah, the poor master--what anxiety for him!"

Captain Jack glanced in dismay at his friend's wife, met her suddenly
illumined gaze and turned abruptly on his heel, with a grinding noise.

"See to your mistress," he said harshly, "I hear your women folk are
roused overhead; hurry them, and when Lady Landale no longer requires
you, I must speak with you on an urgent business of my own. You will
find me in my old room."

"Go with the captain at once, Rene, since he wants you," interposed
Molly quickly, "here comes Moggie. She will take care of me. Leave me,
leave me. I feel strong again. Good-night, Captain Smith, I shall see
you to-morrow?"

There was a wistful query in her voice and look.

Captain Smith bowed distantly and coldly, and hastened from the room,
accompanied by Rene, whi