rose and took his hat and placed it on his head. He gave the crown
of it a blow that sent it nearly over his eyes. He thrust his hands deep
into his breeches pockets, clenched his teeth, and muttered something
inaudible as he strode from the apartment.

"Who would have thought, Henry," said Flora, "that such a man as Admiral
Bell had been the hero of such an adventure?"--"Ay, who indeed; but it
shows that we never can judge from appearances, Flora; and that those
who seem to us the most heart-whole may have experienced the wildest
vicissitudes of passion."

"And we must remember, likewise, that this was forty years ago, Henry,
which makes a material difference in the state of the case as regards
Admiral Bell."

"It does indeed--more than half a lifetime; and yet how evident it was
that his old feelings clung to him. I can well imagine the many hours of
bitter regret which the memory of this his lost love must have given
him."

"True--true. I can feel something for him; for have I not lost one who
loved me--a worse loss, too, than that which Admiral Bell relates; for
am I not a prey to all the horrors of uncertainty? Whereas he knew the
worst, and that, at all events, death had claimed its victim, leaving
nothing to conjecture in the shape of suffering, so that the mind had
nothing to do but to recover slowly, but surely, as it would from the
shock which it had received."

"That is worse than you, Flora; but rather would I have you cherish hope
of soon beholding Charles Holland, probably alive and well, than fancy
any great disaster has come over him."

"I will endeavour to do so," replied Flora.

"I long to hear what has become of Dr. Chillingworth. His disappearance
is most singular; for I fully suspected that he had some particular
object in view in getting possession for a short time of Bannerworth
Hall; but now, from Jack Pringle's account, he appears not to be in it,
and, in fact, to have disappeared completely from the sight of all who
knew him."

"Yes," said Flora; "but he may have done that, brother, still in
furtherance of his object."

"It may be so, and I will hope that it is so. Keep yourself close,
sister, and see no one, while I proceed to his house to inquire if they
have heard anything of him. I will return soon, be assured; and, in the
meantime, should you see my brother, tell him I shall be at home in an
hour or so, and not to leave the cottage; for it is more than likely
that the admiral h