"I dare say not!" said Lorimer, with a quiet smile. "Still _we_ heard it
pretty distinctly, and I think we'd better make for the yacht."

"All right!" and Sir Philip sprang gaily into the long-boat to arrange
the cushions in the stern for Thelma. Never had he looked handsomer or
more high-spirited, and his elation was noticed by all his companions.

"Something joyous has happened to our Phil-eep," said Duprez in a
half-whisper. "He is in the air!"

"And something in the ither way has happened vera suddenly to Mr.
Gueldmar," returned Macfarlane. "Th' auld man is in the dumps."

The _bonde's_ face in truth looked sad and somewhat stern. He scarcely
spoke at all as he took his place in the boat beside his daughter,--once
he raised her little hand, looked at it, and kissed it fondly.

They were all soon on their way back to the _Eulalie_ over a sea that
had grown rough and white-crested during their visit to the stalactite
cave. Clouds had gathered thickly over the sky, and though a few shafts
of sunlight still forced a passage through them, the threatening
darkness spread with steady persistency, especially to the northern side
of the horizon, where Storm hovered in the shape of a black wing edged
with coppery crimson. As they reached the yacht a silver glare of
lightning sprang forth from beneath this sable pinion, and a few large
drops of rain began to fall. Errington hurried Thelma on deck and down
into the saloon. His friends, with Gueldmar, followed,--and the vessel
was soon plunging through waves of no small height on her way back to
the Altenfjord. A loud peal of thunder like a salvo of artillery
accompanied their departure from Soroe, and Thelma shivered a little as
she heard it.

"You are nervous, Mademoiselle Gueldmar?" asked Duprez, noticing her
tremor.

"Oh no," she answered brightly. "Nervous? That is to be afraid,--I am
not afraid of a storm, but I do not like it. It is a cruel, fierce
thing; and I should have wished to-day to be all sunshine--all
gladness!" She paused, and her eyes grew soft and humid.

"Then you have been happy to-day?" said Lorimer in a low and very gentle
voice.

She smiled up at him from the depths of the velvet lounge in which
Errington had placed her.

"Happy? I do not think I have ever been so happy before!" She paused,
and a bright blush crimsoned her cheeks; then, seeing the piano open,
she said suddenly "Shall I sing to you? or perhaps you are all tired,
and would r