ing
to-day, Keith, when it is the man from Greenock will be here soon now?"

"Why, I forgot that, Janet," said he, laughing in a nervous way--"I
forgot that, though I was talking to Hamish about him only a little
while ago. And I think I might as well go out to meet the _Pioneer_
myself, if the boat has not left yet. Is there anything you would like
to get from Oban, Janet?"

"No, nothing, thank you, Keith," said she; and then he left; and he was
in time to get into the big sailing-boat before it went out to meet the
steamer.

This cousin of Hamish, who jumped into the boat when Macleod's letter
had been handed up to the clerk, was a little, black-haired Celt,
beady-eyed, nervous, but with the affectation of a sailor's bluffness,
and he wore rings in his ears. However, when he was got ashore, and
taken into the library, Macleod very speedily found out that the man had
some fair skill in navigation, and that he had certainly been into a
good number of ports in his lifetime. And if one were taking the
_Umpire_ into the mouth of the Thames, now? Mr. Lang looked doubtfully
at the general chart Macleod had; he said he would rather have a special
chart, which he could get at Greenock; for there were a great many banks
about the mouth of the Thames; and he was not sure that he could
remember the channel. And if one wished to go farther up the river, to
some anchorage in communication by rail with London? Oh yes, there was
Erith. And if one would rather have moorings than an anchorage, so that
one might slip away without trouble when the tide and wind were
favorable? Oh yes, there was nothing simpler than that. There were many
yachts about Erith; and surely the pier-master could get the _Umpire_
the loan of moorings. All through Castle Dare it was understood that
there was no distinct destination marked down for the _Umpire_ on this
suddenly-arranged voyage of hers; but all the same Sir Keith Macleod's
inquiries went no farther, at present at least, than the river Thames.

There came another letter in dainty pink; and this time there was less
trembling in the handwriting, and there was a greater frankness in the
wording of the note.

"DEAR KEITH," Miss White wrote, "I would like to have the
letters; as for the little trifles you mention, it does not much
matter. You have not said that you forgive me; perhaps it is
asking too much; but believe me you will find some day it was all
for the best. It is better n