inly Powell had had his hair cut.--"Did the gentleman give
his name?"

"Yes, sir, M. Paul Destournelle."

Powell spoke slowly, getting his tongue carefully round the foreign
syllables, and, for all the confusion of his hearer's mind, the name
went home. Vagueness passed from Richard's glance.

"He was refused, of course."

"Her ladyship had given orders that should any person of that name call
he was to be admitted."--Powell spoke with evident reluctance.
"Consequently Mr. Bates was uncertain how to act, having received
contrary orders from you, sir, the day before yesterday. He explained
this to her ladyship, but she insisted."

Richard's mind had become perfectly lucid.

"Very well," he said coldly.

"Mr. Bates also thought you should know, sir, that after M.
Destournelle's visit her ladyship announced she should not remain at
the villa. She left about five o'clock, taking her maid. Charles
followed with all the baggage."

The valet paused. Richard's manner was decidedly discouraging, yet,
something further must at least be intimated.

"Her ladyship gave no address to Mr. Bates for the forwarding of her
letters."

But here the cabin door, left slightly ajar by Powell, was opened wide,
and that with none of the calm and discretion displayed by the
functionary in question. A long perspective of grimy deck behind him,
his oilskins shiny from the wet, with trim, black beard, square-made,
bold-eyed, hot-tempered, warm-hearted, alert, humorous--typical West
Countryman as his gentle dreamy cousin, Penberthy, the second mate,
though of a very different type--stood Captain Vanstone. His
easily-ruffled temper suffered from the after effects of what is
commonly known as a "jolly row," and his speech was curt in consequence
thereof.

"Sorry to disturb you, Sir Richard," he said, "and still more sorry to
disappoint you, but it can't be helped."

Dickie turned upon him so strangely drawn and haggard a countenance,
that Vanstone with difficulty repressed an exclamation. He looked in
quick inquiry at the valet, who so far departed from his usual decorum
as to nod his head in assent to the silent questioning.

"What's wrong now?" Richard said.

"Why, these beggarly rascals have knocked off. Price offered them a
higher scale of pay. I had empowered him to do so. But they won't
budge. The rain's washed the heart out of them. We've tried persuasion
and we've tried threats--it's no earthly use. Not a basket more coal
w