or, although most of her clothes were packed in
anticipation of her change of domicile, had she apparently taken
anything with her. Nothing in the least unusual had been observed in her
demeanour; nor could the unhappy bridegroom suggest any possible motive
for her conduct. Exhaustive inquiries and exhaustive search were made;
but, to cut the story short, nothing had ever again been seen or heard
of the fair Barbara to that day. Her mistress, who had been sincerely
attached to her, had long mourned for her, and in after times would
often sing her praises. But, in order to be quite candid, it must be
acknowledged that there were others, not a few, who declined to believe
that the girl had come to an untimely end; and, who, knowing that she
had several suitors, and had sometimes appeared uncertain which to
favour, preferred to think that she had changed her mind at the last
moment, and, deciding to throw over her fisherman, had made her escape
from Clyffe House during the night to join some more eligible swain.
This would have been a desperate step indeed; nor could her conduct in
withholding subsequent explanations be absolved of heartlessness. But,
after all, she was the sort of girl who, where no actual misconduct was
involved, might easily allow herself to be over-persuaded. And certainly
the tangled skein of love does sometimes present a knot which must be
cut rather than untied.

The Lieutenant professed himself profoundly interested in this
narrative, which he and Alix then proceeded to discuss in all its
bearings, and more particularly, of course, in its relation to the
figure seen by him in the cove. It is true that Alix never quite
believed in the genuineness of the apparition; but, seeing that Dick
really wished to have it taken seriously, she decided tactfully to
humour him, and made quite a nine days' wonder of the mysterious
occurrence. Their own wedding-day was, however, fast drawing on, so they
soon found other things to talk and think of. To be brief, they were in
due course married, and, amid the cares and pleasures of wedded life,
the story, though not forgotten, came to be very seldom referred to. So
twenty years passed; at the end of which time the Colonel (as he now
was), accompanied by his wife and several youngsters, paid one of his
not very frequent visits to his wife's parents at Clyffe House.

On the first night of the visit, after dinner, Alix's father had
significantly recalled the story of t