im
past, I decorated for my own use.

Luckily, it is a far more difficult task to persuade Robert van Buren to
say something than not to say anything at all; and though he was
puzzled, and not too pleased at being plunged into a mystery, I extorted
from him a promise to glare as much as he liked at the intruder but not
on any account to speak.

"He won't know you understand English," I said, determining to
strengthen in Sir Alec's mind, by every means in my power, the
impression of Robert's Dutchness.

I had just arranged matters when Nell came back with the strained air of
a martyr who hears the lions. We went up on deck together, and a glance
showed Sir Alec that no introduction was needed.

"What! This is Miss Van Buren, the young lady who is engaged to marry
Jonkheer Brederode!" he exclaimed.

Nell bowed, thankful no doubt that his way of putting it relieved her of
the necessity for words.

"You said in Leeuwarden that you didn't know the two young ladies in
Dutch costumes," my uncle-in-law flung at me.

"You may have gathered that impression. I certainly never said so," I
answered promptly--and truthfully too. "Perhaps I thought, at the time,
that the less attention bestowed on the ladies the better they would be
pleased," I added.

"You were right," remarked Nell, bravely.

"Oh, very well," said Sir Alec. Then, abruptly, "How's the dog?"

"He's as nice as ever," replied the girl.

Silence for an instant. MacNairne was visibly reflecting. The sight of
Miss Van Buren, and her tacit confirmation of my statement, was cooling
him down. He is a gentleman, and a good fellow when not in one of his
jealous rages; and evidently he did not wish to distress her, or shake
her faith in a man she was going to marry.

"I expected to find my wife on board this boat," he said at last
abruptly. "Is she here?"

"No," said Nell, "she is not, and never has been."

"It's your boat--not Brederode's?"

"It's my boat. He is--kindly acting as our skipper. If you would care to
go below, and satisfy yourself that La--that your wife isn't on board,
please do so."

Sir Alec looked at her, and she looked at him, straight in the eyes, as
why should she not, poor girl, having no guilty secret of her own to
conceal?

"Thank you," he said. "If I've your word for it, that's enough. I won't
go below. Instead, I will bid you good afternoon, and get back to my own
boat--if I can. But first--Starr, do you know where my wife is?"