Now his share of the necessary preparations was concluded. His wife,
Sir Arthur and his uncle were gathered in a corner of the promenade
deck when he approached and told them that his last instruction ashore
was for a light to be fixed on Summit Rock as soon as the dynamo was in
working order.

"When we all come back in the cold weather," he explained gleefully,
"we will not imitate the _Sirdar_ by running on to the reef,
should we arrive by night."

Iris answered not. Her blue eyes were fixed on the fast-receding
cliffs.

"Sweetheart," said her husband, "why are you so silent?"

She turned to him. The light of the setting sun! illumined her face
with its golden radiance.

"Because I am so happy," she said. "Oh, Robert, dear, so happy and
thankful."

* * * * *

POSTSCRIPT

The latest news of Col. and Mrs. Anstruther is contained in a letter
written by an elderly maiden lady, resident in the North Riding of
Yorkshire, to a friend in London. It is dated some four years after the
events already recorded.

Although its information is garbled and, to a certain extent,
inaccurate, those who have followed the adventures of the young couple
under discussion will be able to appreciate its opinions at their true
value. When the writer states facts, of course, her veracity is
unquestionable, but occasionally she flounders badly when she depends
upon her own judgment.

Here is the letter:

"MY DEAR HELEN:

"I have not seen or heard of you during so long a time that I am
_simply dying_ to tell you all that is happening here. You
will remember that some people named Anstruther bought the Fairlawn
estate near our village some three years ago. They are, as you
know, _enormously_ rich. The doctor tells me that when they
are not squeezing money out of the wretched Chinese, they dig it in
_barrow-loads_ out of some magic island in the Atlantic or the
Pacific--I really forget which.

"Anyhow, they could afford to _entertain_ much more than they
do. Mrs. Anstruther is very nice looking, and could be a leader of
society if she chose, but she _seems_ to care for no one but
her husband and her babies. She has a boy and a girl, very charming
children, I admit, and you seldom see her without them. They have a
French _bonne_ apiece, and a most _murderous_-looking
person--a Mahommedan native, I believe--stalks alongside and
behav