out with the expressed
intention of walking to his destination. The officials bore it all
patiently. It was no fault of theirs. The breakdown gang, was doing its
best. It was a very lucky thing the runaway had been discovered just
before the train came round the corner. The train for the _Sutlej_ must
have had a narrow shave of meeting it.

The General sat in his compartment, which he had to himself, with his
watch in his hand. He was thinking of Sayers and Sayers' young wife.
Mordaunt was not married, but he had an old mother at home in England.
It was bad enough for the men, the brave fellows. But that women should
have to suffer such things through their love was intolerable.

The cold intensified. Philosophical passengers either wrapped themselves
in their rugs or got out and walked up and down, stamping their feet,
their hands in their coat-pockets. The General sat, quiet as a Fate,
staring at his watch. His thoughts were tending towards a certain
conclusion.

At first he had been merely impatient for the train to get on. As time
passed he became more impatient as it was borne in on him that he might
possibly be too late for the _Sutlej_. He might lose the chance of
looking in Langrishe's eyes and getting the lead he desired so that he
might say the words which would bring happiness to his Nelly. Still the
time went on. His moustache became little icicles. If anyone had been
looking at him they might have thought that he suggested being frozen
himself, so stiff and grey was he. They were within a few miles of
Tilbury. It was now half-past eleven. The _Sutlej_ was to sail at
twelve. Was there any chance of his being there in time? The guard had
said half an hour! If he had not, the General might have walked with
those other impatient passengers.

But if the General was a religious man--nay, rather because he was a
religious man--he looked for signs and portents from God for the
direction of his everyday life. He believed that God, amid all His
whirling world of stars and all His ages, had leisure to attend to every
unit of a life upon earth. He believed in special Providences.
Everything that was dear to him or near to his heart he commended to God
in his prayers. He had prayed for direction and guidance in this matter
of his girl and young Langrishe. He had thought to do his best. Well,
was not the breakdown of the train a sign that his best was not God's
best?

At ten minutes to twelve the track was free, a