closed
involuntarily, and she fell into a troubled sleep.

CHAPTER XXI SUSPENSE

It was late into the night when she at last reached "The Fisherman's
Rest." She had done the whole journey in less than eight hours, thanks
to innumerable changes of horses at the various coaching stations,
for which she always paid lavishly, thus obtaining the very best and
swiftest that could be had.

Her coachman, too, had been indefatigable; the promise of special and
rich reward had no doubt helped to keep him up, and he had literally
burned the ground beneath his mistress' coach wheels.

The arrival of Lady Blakeney in the middle of the night caused a
considerable flutter at "The Fisherman's Rest." Sally jumped hastily out
of bed, and Mr. Jellyband was at great pains how to make his important
guest comfortable.

Both of these good folk were far too well drilled in the manners
appertaining to innkeepers, to exhibit the slightest surprise at Lady
Blakeney's arrival, alone, at this extraordinary hour. No doubt they
thought all the more, but Marguerite was far too absorbed in the
importance--the deadly earnestness--of her journey, to stop and ponder
over trifles of that sort.

The coffee-room--the scene lately of the dastardly outrage on two
English gentlemen--was quite deserted. Mr. Jellyband hastily relit the
lamp, rekindled a cheerful bit of fire in the great hearth, and then
wheeled a comfortable chair by it, into which Marguerite gratefully
sank.

"Will your ladyship stay the night?" asked pretty Miss Sally, who was
already busy laying a snow-white cloth on the table, preparatory to
providing a simple supper for her ladyship.

"No! not the whole night," replied Marguerite. "At any rate, I shall not
want any room but this, if I can have it to myself for an hour or two."

"It is at your ladyship's service," said honest Jellyband, whose
rubicund face was set in its tightest folds, lest it should betray
before "the quality" that boundless astonishment which the very worthy
fellow had begun to feel.

"I shall be crossing over at the first turn of the tide," said
Marguerite, "and in the first schooner I can get. But my coachman and
men will stay the night, and probably several days longer, so I hope you
will make them comfortable."

"Yes, my lady; I'll look after them. Shall Sally bring your ladyship
some supper?"

"Yes, please. Put something cold on the table, and as soon as Sir Andrew
Ffoulkes comes, show him