ive
confirmation of the faith, the miserable superstitious faith, that is in
her. So long as you don't actually know that Frank is dead, and that he
has died by Wardour's hand, deny what she says--mislead her for her own
sake--dispute all her conclusions as I dispute them. Help me to raise
her to the better and nobler belief in the mercy of God!" She stopped,
and looked round nervously at the doorway. "Hush!" she whispered. "Do as
I have told you. Clara is here."

Chapter 17.

Clara stopped at the doorway, looking backward and forward distrustfully
between the husband and wife. Entering the boat-house, and approaching
Crayford, she took his arm, and led him away a few steps from the place
in which Mrs. Crayford was standing.

"There is no storm now, and there are no duties to be done on board the
ship," she said, with the faint, sad smile which it wrung Crayford's
heart to see. "You are Lucy's husband, and you have an interest in me
for Lucy's sake. Don't shrink on that account from giving me pain: I
can bear pain. Friend and brother! will you believe that I have courage
enough to hear the worst? Will you promise not to deceive me about
Frank?"

The gentle resignation in her voice, the sad pleading in her look, shook
Crayford's self-possession at the outset. He answered her in the worst
possible manner; he answered evasively.

"My dear Clara," he said, "what have I done that you should suspect me
of deceiving you?"

She looked him searchingly in the face, then glanced with renewed
distrust at Mrs. Crayford. There was a moment of silence. Before any of
the three could speak again, they were interrupted by the appearance of
one of Crayford's brother officers, followed by two sailors carrying a
hamper between them. Crayford instantly dropped Clara's arm, and seized
the welcome opportunity of speaking of other things.

"Any instructions from the ship, Steventon?" he asked, approaching the
officer.

"Verbal instructions only," Steventon replied. "The ship will sail with
the flood-tide. We shall fire a gun to collect the people, and send
another boat ashore. In the meantime here are some refreshments for the
passengers. The ship is in a state of confusion; the ladies will eat
their luncheon more comfortably here."

Hearing this, Mrs. Crayford took _her_ opportunity of silencing Clara
next.

"Come, my dear," she said. "Let us lay the cloth before the gentlemen
come in."

Clara was too seriously bent on at