family of the lady have
implored me to reveal as little of the truth as possible. They have
taken their own measures, and they are good measures, to account for
her--her disappearance." The unhappy man spoke with considerable
agitation.

"Quite so! Quite so! They are right. I have no wish to show indiscreet
curiosity."

"Do you think anything can be done to prevent the fact becoming known?"
asked Jacques de Wissant--and, as the other waited a moment before
answering, the suspense became almost more than he could endure.

He got up and instinctively stood with his back to the light. "The
family of this young lady are willing to make any pecuniary
sacrifice----"

"It is not a question of pecuniary sacrifice," the Admiral said stiffly.
"Money will never really purchase either secrecy or silence. But honour,
M. de Wissant, will sometimes, nay, often, do both."

"Then you think the fact can be concealed?"

"I think it will be impossible to conceal it if the _Neptune_ is
raised"--he hesitated, and his voice sank as he added the poignant words
"_in time_. But if that happens, though I fear that it is not likely to
happen, then I promise you that I will allow it to be thought that I had
given this lady permission, and her improper action will be accepted for
what it no doubt was--a foolish escapade. If Dupre and little Paritot
are the men of honour I take them to be, one or other of them will of
course marry her!"

"And if the _Neptune_ is not raised--" the Mayor's voice also dropped
to a whisper--"_in time_--what then?"

"Then," said the Admiral, "everything will be done by me--so you can
assure your unlucky friends--to conceal the fact that Commander Dupre
failed in his duty. Not for his sake, you understand--he, I fear,
deserves what he has suffered, what he is perhaps still suffering,"--a
look of horror stole over his old, weather-roughened face--"but for the
sake of the foolish girl and for the sake of her family. You say it is a
naval family?"

"Yes," said Jacques de Wissant. "A noted naval family."

The Admiral got up. "And now I, on my side, must exact of you a pledge,
M. de Wissant--" he looked searchingly at the Government official
standing before him. "I solemnly implore you, monsieur, to keep this
fact you have told me absolutely secret for the time being--secret even
from the Minister of Marine."

The Mayor of Falaise bent his head. "I intend to act," he said slowly,
"as if I had never heard it."