ecatory gesture.

"No," he added, "there was nothing I could do."

It was evident that Agatha acquitted him, but she asked a question.

"Captain Dampier," she said, "had you any expectation of finding those
three men when you sailed the second time?"

"No," said the bronzed sailorman, with an impressive quietness, "I
hadn't any, and I don't think Wyllard had either. Still, he meant to
make quite certain." He spread a hard hand out forcibly. "He felt he
had to."

He gazed at Agatha, and saw comprehension in her eyes.

"Yes," she said, "and when you have said that, as you have done, you
could have said very little more of any man."

Then she turned her head away from them, and once more there was for a
few moments a heavy silence in the room. It cost the girl a painful
effort to sit still, apparently unmoved, but there was strength in her,
and she would not betray her distress. She felt that the latter must
be quietly grappled with. It was almost overwhelming, horribly acute,
but there was mingled with it a faint consolatory thrill of pride, for
it was clear that the man who had loved her had done a splendid thing.
He had given all that had been given him--and she knew she would never
forget that phrase of his--willingly, and it seemed to her that the
gifts he had been entrusted with were rare and precious
ones--steadfast, unflinching courage, compassion, and the fine sense of
honour which had sent him out on that forlorn hope. He had gone down,
unyielding and undismayed--she felt curiously sure of that--amidst the
blinding snow, but this was his vindication which had crowned him with
immortal laurels.

Then Mrs. Hastings rose, and set food before Dampier, while by and bye
Sproatly and Winifred arrived and were told the story. After that
Dampier, who seemed to be a man of tact, stood up. He had already,
when asked by Mrs. Hastings, promised to stay with them a day or two.

"Well," he said, "it seems to me you'll naturally want to talk over
things. If you'll excuse me, I'll take a stroll across the prairie."

He went out, and Hastings who lighted his pipe lay back in his chair
and looked at the rest.

"Harry's friends are numerous, but we're, perhaps, the nearest, and, as
Dampier said, we have to consider things," he said. "To begin with,
there's a certain possibility that he has escaped, after all."

He saw the little abrupt movement that Agatha made, and went on rather
more quickly.

"Gregory,