ements; she accepted the room which he had set apart
for her; approved of the woman servant whom he had engaged; presented
herself at tea-time the moment she was summoned but still showed no
interest whatever in the new scene around her. Soon after the table
was cleared, although the daylight had not yet faded out, Mrs. Wragge's
customary drowsiness after fatigue of any kind overcame her, and she
received her husband s orders to leave the room (taking care that she
left it "up at heel"), and to betake herself (strictly in the character
of Mrs. Bygrave) to bed. As soon as they were left alone, the captain
looked hard at Magdalen, and waited to be spoken to. She said nothing.
He ventured next on opening the conversation by a polite inquiry after
the state of her health. "You look fatigued," he remarked, in his most
insinuating manner. "I am afraid the journey has been too much for you."

"No," she said, looking out listlessly through the window; "I am not
more tired than usual. I am always weary now; weary at going to bed,
weary at getting up. If you would like to hear what I have to say to you
to-night, I am willing and ready to say it. Can't we go out? It is
very hot here; and the droning of those men's voices is beyond all
endurance." She pointed through the window to a group of boatmen idling,
as only nautical men can idle, against the garden wall. "Is there no
quiet walk in this wretched place?" she asked, impatiently. "Can't we
breathe a little fresh air, and escape being annoyed by strangers?"

"There is perfect solitude within half an hour's walk of the house,"
replied the ready captain.

"Very well. Come out, then."

With a weary sigh she took up her straw bonnet and her light muslin
scarf from the side-table upon which she had thrown them on coming in,
and carelessly led the way to the door. Captain Wragge followed her to
the garden gate, then stopped, struck by a new idea.

"Excuse me," he whispered, confidentially. "In my wife's existing state
of ignorance as to who she is, we had better not trust her alone in the
house with a new servant. I'll privately turn the key on her, in case
she wakes before we come back. Safe bind, safe find--you know the
proverb!--I will be with you again in a moment."

He hastened back to the house, and Magdalen seated herself on the garden
wall to await his return.

She had hardly settled herself in that position when two gentlemen
walking together, whose approach along the