Part 20 (1/2)

Then I heard a slighttowards the large settle by the side of the hearth, saw my old acquaintance, the innkeeper, evidently aroused by etting to his feet

Much astonished he looked when he saho his visitor was, as he did not know I had come down to the yacht, and certainly was not accustoavelad you are here; perhaps you will be able to help us in this dreadful business”

”What dreadful business?” I said, sharply enough, for I feared his answer, and dared not ask a irl I had left behind in the _Thelma_, and the news it seemed I was to take back to her, was almost too much for me

”Dear, dear, haven't you heard, sir?” went on the old erness to impart the news ”There's that poor, dear Miss Burfield, the sweetest young lady as ever I knew, gone floating down the river last night in the fog all alone, and goodness knohat has beco brother, too, wet through as he was, gone off with the gentleo--and a poor chance of finding her, _I_ say, till the fog blows off, even if they don't lose themselves as well as her And the poor old squire, too, he be in a dreadful way, and sendin' uards for miles, he is, to look out for the lady----”

Here the old man paused for want of breath, and I--co stateirl's brother, hastened to relieve hi news that Miss Burfield was safe and sound in er as I was to get back to the _Thelet away till I had told the good old fello it had happened that I had rescued her, and he in return told , into the inn as they were all going to bed, and demanded help in the search for his sister No boat was to be had at the moment, and so they had shouted till Mr Small came ashore in his own boat, and had at once roith young Burfield down the river, in the thick darkness, with the faint hope of finding the irl before she drifted into the open sea

”I told 'eood,” ended the old ht, but they would go As for , for I druv' over at once to the coastguards down yonder, and told 'em to keep a look out at the , and was just takin' a nap when you found ed with hiood news to all concerned, especially to the Hall, where old Mr Burfield must doubtless be in a terrible state of anxiety, I hurried back along the towing-path, rejoicing in the thought that I should now be able to relieve my fair visitor'sanxious, indeed, but so pretty and fresh in spite of her trying night's experiences, that reatly intensified, and I began to bless the unusual circuether and made us friends, as it were, froistered a mental vow that the bond thus created between us should never be broken, if it lay in ood news, and we had at last an opportunity of friendly converse unclouded by forebodings and anxious thoughts, I for one thoroughly enjoyed the companionshi+p, and allowed reeable to , therefore, to me before the arrival of Mr

Burfield, who overwhelratitude than I deserved, and insisted onthe rest of that week-end at the Hall--an invitation backed up in irresistible fashi+on by his daughter

To co we heard the sound of oars, and saw a boat approaching, containing two of themen I ever saw

They proved to be Mr S dead-beat and miserable after a fruitless and wretched search for the ements for a further expedition How can I describe their intense relief and astonishhty shout--they pulled to shore, and saw the girl they i on shore, safe and sound, and in infinitely better case than themselves, and heard that she had never been farther than where she noas froht before?

Later on I asked Harold Burfield why he had not shouted as he rowed down the river after his sister in the darkness, when I ht have heard and answered

He said that at first he thought it no use, as he knew his sister's boatstart of them; and later, when they had rowed soht up with it, they had done so at intervals all night long, on the chance of her hearing

So I suppose that, either they were past the _Thelot so far over on the other side of the channel that their voices had not reached me, as I was shut up in my cabin

So all the little ht in the end,” as such things should

I have spent many a happy week-end since then at the Hall and on board the _Thel of that Septeht, for Lilian has pro, and we have both decided that part of the honeymoon at least is to be spent on board the _Thelma_; and I really believe that we shall both be rather disappointed if we do not get a bit of foggy weather to remind us hoe firstand tea” in the little cabin at six o'clock in the

XIII

THE DEFLECTED COMPass

The paddle-steaside the quay at St

Mary's, and had already given one shrill intimation that she was prepared to leave the harbour Sydney and I were ready, with our portmanteaux strapped and our caps on, but the Honourable John had not yet appeared We were impatient Very important was it that we should catch theere all due in London Any delay in our return would be taken from the holidays of the next batch, and we should never hear the last of it if ere late, to say nothing of the unfairness of reducing the well-earned rest of the next batch by our dilatoriness and lack of consideration We had taken the precaution to settle the hotel accounts, because we knew the habits of the Honourable John, and we stood in the hall with the thunder gathering upon our brows, and threatening to peal forth in tones more loud than complimentary

”If he isn't down in twoout s of the spidery second-hand that seereater hurry than usual