was to have shared it with him in
a few months as his wife. If the Fates were kind, he would come back
from the world-war and reclaim both the lands and their mistress, and
if not he would have the satisfaction of knowing that his broad acres
at least had a worthy mistress.

At breakfast he met Natas again, and during the meal one of his
footmen entered, bringing the letters that had come by the morning
post.

There were several letters for each of them, those for Natas being
addressed to "Herr F. Niemand," and for some time they were both
employed in looking through their correspondence. Suddenly Natas
looked up, and said--

"When do you expect to hear that Arnold is off the south coast?"

"Almost any day now; in fact, within the week, if everything has gone
right. Here is a letter from Johnston to say that the _Lurline_ has
arrived at Plymouth, and that a bright look-out is being kept for
him. He will telegraph here and to the club in London as soon as the
air-ship is sighted. Twenty-four hours will then see us on board the
_Ariel_, or whichever of the ships he comes in."

"I hope the news will come soon, for Michael Roburoff, the
President's brother, who has been in command of the American Section,
cables to say that he sails from New York the day after to-morrow
with detailed accounts. That means that he will come with full
reports of what the Section has done and will be ready to do when the
time comes, and also what the enemy are doing.

"He sails in the _Aurania_, and as the Atlantic routes are swarming
with war-ships and torpedo-boats, she will probably have to run the
gauntlet, and it is of the last importance that Michael and his
reports reach us safely. It will therefore be necessary for the
air-ship to meet the _Aurania_ as soon as possible on her passage,
and take him off her before any harm happens to him. If he and his
reports fell into the hands of the enemy, there is no telling what
might happen."

"As nearly as I can calculate," said Tremayne, "the air-ship should
be sighted in three days from now, perhaps in two. It will take the
_Aurania_ over four days to cross the Atlantic, and so we ought to be
able to meet her somewhere in mid-ocean if she is able to get so far
without being overhauled. Unfortunately she is known to be a British
ship and subsidised by the British Government, so there will be very
little chance of her getting through under the American flag. Still
she's about the fastest