quires our
careful consideration.'

"'And that?' I cried.

"'That,' he continued, 'is the matter of the will,' and then, seeing that
I was about to interrupt, he continued, quickly, 'Just a moment, if you
please, and you will know everything; then I will be in a position to
discuss whys and wherefores. Your father's last will, the will which I
myself drew up about a year ago, is strangely missing. One has been
found, however, dating back two years, and in the event of the first will
not being found, will, of course, become valid.'

"'Well?' said I.

"'Well,' he continued, calmly launching his thunderbolt, 'in that case,
you, Monsieur, will be left penniless.'

"'Ah!' I cried, aghast, and the lawyer nodded, 'I trust that you now see
the seriousness of the situation, Monsieur.'

"'Ah, but there is one point of far greater importance than you have
mentioned,' I cried, with such earnestness that he leaned back in his
chair with a sigh of resignation, saying, 'Great heavens! What could be
more important than that?'

"'Many things, Monsieur, which, when you have heard of them, will cause
you to agree with me.'

"My manner may have impressed him, perhaps my earnestness; for he bade me
speak out freely, leaving nothing untold. This I did, to the most minute
details, save, of course, those things sacred only to Jeanne and me. When
I had finished, we had a long talk, during which I came to know the value
of this new ally of mine.

"So it was finally decided that I was to travel to America for the
purpose of hunting up one of the chief witnesses of my father's will and
beg him to return to France with me. Meanwhile, my father's attorney
assured me he would not be idle."

"And did you find him--the witness, I mean?" said Mr. Payton.

"No, Monsieur, I did not; but, after a long and exhaustive search, I
learned that the one I sought had sailed a week ago on the steamer
'Baltic,' so all my journey has been for nothing."

"What difference does it make? At least, you accomplished your purpose."

"That is true, Madame, but he would have sailed without aid of mine, and
it maddens me to think that all this time I have been wasting in a
fruitless search, my Jeanette is still unfound. Where may she not be?
Dead--perhaps----" His voice trailed off into silence and they sat
motionless, fascinated by the spell of romance, tragedy and mystery he
had woven.

CHAPTER XV

"LAND, HO!"

Lucile opened her eyes slowly, laz