which she does, I should still be as
prompt as me friends here to hasten to the rescue of a lady.
Tobias Clutterbuck may be ould, Miss Harston, but his heart will niver
grow so hardened but that it will milt at the thought of beauty in
distriss." With this beautiful sentiment the major placed his fat hand
over his heart, and bowed again, even more gracefully than before.
The three foreigners behind made no remark, but they all stood in a line
grinning in a most amicable fashion, and nodding their heads as if to
intimate that the major was expressing their united sentiments to a
nicety. Kate's last recollection of that eventful evening was the
smiling visages of Von Baumser, Bulow, and the nameless Russian as they
beamed their good night at her.

CHAPTER XLVIII.

CAPTAIN HAMILTON MIGGS SEES A VISION.

Ezra Girdlestone had given many indications during his life, both in
Africa and elsewhere, of being possessed of the power of grasping a
situation and of acting for the best at the shortest notice. He never
showed this quality more conclusively than at that terrible moment, when
he realized not only that the crime in which he bad participated had
failed, but that all was discovered, and that his father and he were
hunted criminals. With the same intuitive quickness which made him a
brilliant man of business, he saw instantly what were the only available
means of escape, and proceeded at once to adopt them. If they could but
reach the vessel of Captain Hamilton Miggs they might defy the pursuit
of the law.

The _Black Eagle_ had dropped down the Thames on the very Saturday which
was so fruitful of eventful episodes. Miggs would lie at Gravesend, and
intended afterwards to beat round to the Downs, there to await the final
instructions of the firm. If they could catch him before he left, there
was very little chance that he would know anything of what had occurred.
It was a fortunate chance that the next day was Sunday, and there would
be no morning paper to enlighten him as to the doings in Hampshire.
They had only to invent some plausible excuse for their wish to
accompany him, and get him to drop them upon the Spanish coast. Once
out of sight of England and on the broad ocean, what detective could
follow their track?

Of course upon Sampson's return all would come out. Ezra reckoned,
however, that it would be some time before the fisherman got back from
his journey. What was a favourable wind going wo