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was the fog that his face and figure appeared to come dimly out of
it； like a part of her dreaming fancy。 Without replying to his
question； she said quickly；
〃You are better then； Mr。 Hurlstone？ Wewe were all so frightened
for you。〃
An angry shadow crossed his thin face； and he hesitated。 After a
pause he recovered himself； and said；
〃I was saying you were taking all this very quietly。 I don't think
there's much danger myself。 And if we should go ashore here〃
〃Well？〃 suggested Miss Keene； ignoring this first intimation of
danger in her surprise at the man's manner。
〃Well； we should all be separated only a few days earlier； that's
all！〃
More frightened at the strange bitterness of his voice than by the
sense of physical peril； she was vaguely moving away towards the
dimly outlined figures of her companions when she was arrested by a
voice forward。 There was a slight murmur among the passengers。
〃What did he say？〃 asked Miss Keene； 〃What are 'Breakers ahead'？〃
Hurlstone did not reply。
〃Where away？〃 asked a second voice。
The murmur still continuing； Captain Bunker's hoarse voice pierced
the gloom；〃Silence fore and aft！〃
The first voice repeated faintly；
〃On the larboard bow。〃
There was another silence。 Again the voice repeated； as if
mechanically；
〃Breakers！〃
〃Where away？〃
〃On the starboard beam。〃
〃We are in some passage or channel；〃 said Hurlstone quietly。
The young girl glanced round her and saw for the first time that；
in one of those inexplicable movements she had not understood； the
other passengers had been withdrawn into a limited space of the
deck； as if through some authoritative orders； while she and her
companion had been evidently overlooked。 A couple of sailors； who
had suddenly taken their positions by the quarter…boats； strengthened
the accidental separation。
〃Is there some one taking care of you？〃 he asked； half hesitatingly；
〃Mr。 BracePerkinsor〃
〃No；〃 she replied quickly。 〃Why？〃
〃Well； we are very near the boat in an emergency； and you might
allow me to stay here and see you safe in it。〃
〃But the other ladies？ Mrs。 Markham； and〃
〃They'll take their turn after YOU；〃 he said grimly； picking up a
wrap from the railing and throwing it over her shoulders。
〃ButI don't understand！〃 she stammered； more embarrassed by the
situation than by any impending peril。
〃There is very little danger； I think；〃 he added impatiently。
〃There is scarcely any sea； the ship has very little way on； and
these breakers are not over rocks。 Listen。〃
She tried to listen。 At first she heard nothing but the occasional
low voice of command near the wheel。 Then she became conscious of
a gentle； soothing murmur through the fog to the right。 She had
heard such a murmuring accompaniment to her girlish dreams at
Newport on a still summer night。 There was nothing to frighten
her； but it increased her embarrassment。
〃And you？〃 she said awkwardly； raising her soft eyes。
〃Oh； if you are all going off in the boats； by Jove； I think I'll
stick to the ship！〃 he returned； with a frankness that would have
been rude but for its utter abstraction。
Miss Keene was silent。 The ship moved gently onward。 The
monotonous cry of the leadsman in the chains was the only sound
audible。 The soundings were indicating shoaler water； although the
murmuring of the surf had been left far astern。 The almost
imperceptible darkening of the mist on either beam seemed to show
that the Excelsior was entering some land…locked passage。 The
movement of the vessel slackened； the tide was beginning to ebb。
Suddenly a wave of far…off clamor； faint but sonorous； broke across
the ship。 There was an interval of breathless silence； and then it
broke again； and more distinctly。 It was the sound of bells！
The thrill of awe which passed through passengers and crew at this
spiritual challenge from the vast and intangible void around them
had scarcely subsided when the captain turned to Senor Perkins with
a look of surly interrogation。 The Senor brushed his hat further
back on his head； wiped his brow； and became thoughtful。
〃It's too far south for Rosario；〃 he said deprecatingly； 〃and the
only other mission I know of is San Carlos； and that's far inland。
But that is the Angelus； and those are mission bells； surely。〃
The captain turned to Mr。 Brooks。 The voice of invisible command
again passed along the deck； and； with a splash in the water and
the rattling of chains； the Excelsior swung slowly round on her
anchor on the bosom of what seemed a placid bay。
Miss Keene； who； in her complete absorption； had listened to the
phantom bells with an almost superstitious exaltation； had
forgotten the presence of her companion； and now turned towards
him。 But he was gone。 The imminent danger he had spoken of； half
slightingly； he evidently considered as past。 He had taken the
opportunity offered by the slight bustle made by the lowering of
the quarter…boat and the departure of the mate on a voyage of
discovery to mingle with the crowd； and regain his state…room。
With the anchoring of the vessel； the momentary restraint was
relaxed； the passengers were allowed to pervade the deck； and Mrs。
Markham and Mr。 Brace simultaneously rushed to Miss Keene's side。
〃We were awfully alarmed for you； my dear；〃 said Mrs。 Markham；
〃until we saw you had a protector。 Do tell mewhat DID he say？
He must have thought the danger great to have broken the Senor's
orders and come upon deck？ What did he talk about？〃
With a vivid recollection in her mind of Mr。 Hurlstone's
contemptuous ignoring of the other ladies； Miss Keene became
slightly embarrassed。 Her confusion was not removed by the
consciousness that the jealous eyes of Brace were fixed upon her。
〃Perhaps he thought it was night； and walked upon deck in his
sleep；〃 remarked Brace sarcastically。 〃He's probably gone back to
bed。〃
〃He offered me his protection very politely； and begged to remain
to put me in the boat in case of danger；〃 said Miss Keene；
recovering herself； and directing her reply to Mrs。 Markham。 〃I
think that others have made me the same kind of offerwho were
wide awake；〃 she added mischievously to Brace。
〃I wouldn't be too sure that they were not foolishly dreaming too；〃
returned Brace； in a lower voice。
〃I should think we all were asleep or dreaming here；〃 said Mrs。
Markham briskly。 〃Nobody seems to know where we are； and the only
man who might guess itSenor Perkinshas gone off in the boat
with the mate。〃
〃We're not a mile from shore and a Catholic church；〃 said Crosby；
who had joined them。 〃I just left Mrs。 Brimmer； who is very High
Church； you know； quite overcome by these Angelus bells。 She's
been entreating the captain to let her go ashore for vespers。 It
wouldn't be a bad idea； if we could only see what sort of a pla