y tell us that any vessel may
be a few hours, nay, a few days, behind her reckoning; it may seem
madness to entertain the least shadow of a doubt--and yet, until the
feet we love are on the wharf and the dear glad hands in ours, the
shadow of an awful possibility is over us, the dreadful consciousness of
the capacity of the sea.

The Duke, who, but for his anxiety to see the end, would have long since
been on his way to England, had taken every precaution to ascertain the
date of the ship's arrival. He took it for granted that Claudius would
sail in the Cunard steamer, and he found out the vessel which sailed
next after the Doctor had telegraphed. Then he made arrangements to be
informed so soon as she was sighted, determined to go down in the
Custom-House tug and board her at the Quarantine, that he might have the
satisfaction of being first to tell Claudius all there was to be told.

"The day after to-morrow," he had said to Margaret, "we may safely
expect him," and he watched, with a sort of dull pleasure, the light
that came into her eyes when she heard the time was so near.

The first disappointment--alas, it was only the first--came on the
evening before the appointed day. The Duke received a note from the
office to the effect that late arrivals having reported very heavy
weather, it was feared that the steamer might be delayed some hours. He
at once inquired for the Countess, but found to his annoyance that both
she and his sister had gone to the theatre. He had been out when they
went, and so they had taken Miss Skeat as a sort of escort, and were
doubtless enjoying themselves mightily. It was necessary, however, that
Margaret should know the news of the delay before she went to bed, for
it would have been cruel to allow her to wake in the morning with the
assurance that Claudius might arrive at any moment.

"If I wait for them, and make a fuss, she will think it is something
serious," reflected the Duke with more than usual tact. So he wrote a
note, simply stating that he had news of a delay in the arrival of some
hours,--perhaps a whole day, he added, wishing to be on the safe side.
He gave the note to Vladimir, and went away to his rooms.

Margaret and Lady Victoria came home together in great spirits, laughing
and rustling in their silk cloaks as they entered the little
drawing-room, and sat down by the fire for a chat. Then Vladimir brought
the Duke's note. Margaret read it by the firelight, and her fac