unrecognisable in his lacquey-like garb,
entered the coffee-room, she was able to greet him with quite a merry
laugh.

"Faith! Monsieur, my lacquey," she said, "I am satisfied with your
appearance!"

Mr. Jellyband had followed Sir Andrew, looking strangely perplexed. The
young gallant's disguise had confirmed his worst suspicions. Without a
smile upon his jovial face, he drew the cork from the bottle of wine,
set the chairs ready, and prepared to wait.

"Thanks, honest friend," said Marguerite, who was still smiling at the
thought of what the worthy fellow must be thinking at that very moment,
"we shall require nothing more; and here's for all the trouble you have
been put to on our account."

She handed two or three gold pieces to Jellyband, who took them
respectfully, and with becoming gratitude.

"Stay, Lady Blakeney," interposed Sir Andrew, as Jellyband was about
to retire, "I am afraid we shall require something more of my friend
Jelly's hospitality. I am sorry to say we cannot cross over to-night."

"Not cross over to-night?" she repeated in amazement. "But we must, Sir
Andrew, we must! There can be no question of cannot, and whatever it may
cost, we must get a vessel to-night."

But the young man shook his head sadly.

"I am afraid it is not a question of cost, Lady Blakeney. There is a
nasty storm blowing from France, the wind is dead against us, we cannot
possibly sail until it has changed."

Marguerite became deadly pale. She had not foreseen this. Nature herself
was playing her a horrible, cruel trick. Percy was in danger, and she
could not go to him, because the wind happened to blow from the coast of
France.

"But we must go!--we must!" she repeated with strange, persistent
energy, "you know, we must go!--can't you find a way?"

"I have been down to the shore already," he said, "and had a talk to one
or two skippers. It is quite impossible to set sail to-night, so
every sailor assured me. No one," he added, looking significantly at
Marguerite, "NO ONE could possibly put out of Dover to-night."

Marguerite at once understood what he meant. NO ONE included Chauvelin
as well as herself. She nodded pleasantly to Jellyband.

"Well, then, I must resign myself," she said to him. "Have you a room
for me?"

"Oh, yes, your ladyship. A nice, bright, airy room. I'll see to it at
once. . . . And there is another one for Sir Andrew--both quite ready."

"That's brave now, mine honest Jelly," said Sir A