t. She may be away altogether."

"In that case we shall return," said Madame Piriac briefly, and, not giving
Audrey time to reply further, she vanished, with a firm carriage and an
obstinate look in her eyes, towards the sleeping-cabins.

The next instant Mr. Gilman himself entered the saloon.

"Mrs. Moncreiff," he started nervously, in a confidential and deprecating
tone, "this is the first chance I have had to tell you. We came into
Mozewater without my orders. I won't say against my orders, but certainly
not with them. On the plea that I had retired, Captain Wyatt changed our
destination last night without going through the formality of consulting
me. We ought to have made Harwich, but I am now told that we were running
short of paraffin, and that if we had continued to Harwich we should have
had the worst of the tide against us, whereas in coming up Mozewater the
tide helped us; also that Captain Wyatt did not care about trying to get
into Harwich harbour at night with the wind in its present quarter, and
rising as it was then. Of course, Wyatt is responsible for the safety of
the ship, and it is true that I had her designed with a very light draught
on purpose for such waters as Mozewater; but he ought to have consulted me.
We might get away again on this tide, but Hortense will not hear of it. She
has a call to pay, she says. I can only tell you how sorry I am. And I do
hope you will forgive me." The sincerity and alarm of his manly apology
were touching.

"But, Mr. Gilman," said Audrey, with the simplicity which more and more she
employed in talking to her host, "there is nothing to forgive. What can it
matter to me whether we come here or go to Harwich?"

"I thought, I was afraid--" Mr. Gilman hesitated.

"In short ... your secret, Mrs. Moncreiff, which you asked me to keep, and
which I have kept. It was here, at this very spot, with my old barge-yacht,
that I first had the pleasure of meeting you. And I thought ... perhaps
you had reasons.... However, your secret is safe."

"How nice you are, Mr. Gilman!" Audrey said, with a gentle smile. "You're
kindness itself. But there is nothing to trouble about, really. Keep my
little secret by all means, if you don't mind. As for anything else--that's
perfectly all right.... Shall we go on deck?"

He thanked her without words.

She was saying to herself, rather desperately:

"After all, what do I care? I haven't committed a crime. It's nobody's
business but my