ay remark that I gave it no credit.
Poor Mrs. Nettlepoint, on the other hand, was of course to give it all. I
was almost capable, after the girl had left me, of going to my young man
and saying: "After all, do return to her a little, just till we get in!
It won't make any difference after we land." And I don't think it was
the fear he would tell me I was an idiot that prevented me. At any rate
the next time I passed the door of the smoking-room I saw he had left it.
I paid my usual visit to Mrs. Nettlepoint that night, but I troubled her
no further about Miss Mavis. She had made up her mind that everything
was smooth and settled now, and it seemed to me I had worried her, and
that she had worried herself, in sufficiency. I left her to enjoy the
deepening foretaste of arrival, which had taken possession of her mind.
Before turning in I went above and found more passengers on deck than I
had ever seen so late. Jasper moved about among them alone, but I
forbore to join him. The coast of Ireland had disappeared, but the night
and the sea were perfect. On the way to my cabin, when I came down, I
met the stewardess in one of the passages, and the idea entered my head
to say to her: "Do you happen to know where Miss Mavis is?"

"Why she's in her room, sir, at this hour."

"Do you suppose I could speak to her?" It had come into my mind to ask
her why she had wanted to know of me if I should recognise Mr.
Porterfield.

"No sir," said the stewardess; "she has gone to bed."

"That's all right." And I followed the young lady's excellent example.

The next morning, while I dressed, the steward of my side of the ship
came to me as usual to see what I wanted. But the first thing he said
to, me was: "Rather a bad job, sir--a passenger missing." And while I
took I scarce know what instant chill from it, "A lady, sir," he went
on--"whom I think you knew. Poor Miss Mavis, sir."

"_Missing_?" I cried--staring at him and horror-stricken.

"She's not on the ship. They can't find her."

"Then where to God is she?"

I recall his queer face. "Well sir, I suppose you know that as well as
I."

"Do you mean she has jumped overboard?"

"Some time in the night, sir--on the quiet. But it's beyond every one,
the way she escaped notice. They usually sees 'em, sir. It must have
been about half-past two. Lord, but she was sharp, sir. She didn't so
much as make a splash. They say she '_ad_ come against her will, sir."

I