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are calling you。 Say good…by； or you will be too late for the
boat。〃
Frank took Clara's hand。 Long afterwardin the dark Arctic days；
in the dreary Arctic nightshe remembered how coldly and how
passively that hand lay in his。
〃Courage； Clara！〃 he said； gayly。 〃A sailor's sweetheart must
accustom herself to partings。 The time will soon pass。 Good…by；
my darling！ Good…by； my wife！〃
He kissed the cold hand； he looked his lastfor many a long
year； perhaps！at the pale and beautiful face。 〃How she loves
me！〃 he thought。 〃How the parting distresses her！〃 He still held
her hand； he would have lingered longer； if Mrs。 Crayford had not
wisely waived all ceremony and pushed him away。
The two ladies followed him at a safe distance through the crowd；
and saw him step into the boat。 The oars struck the water； Frank
waved his cap to Clara。 In a moment more a vessel at anchor hid
the boat from view。 They had seen the last of him on his way to
the Frozen Deep！
〃No Richard Wardour in the boat；〃 said Mrs。 Crayford。 〃No Richard
Wardour on the shore。 Let this be a lesson to you； my dear。 Never
be foolish enough to believe in presentiments again。〃
Clara's eyes still wandered suspiciously to and fro among the
crowd。
〃Are you not satisfied yet？〃 asked Mrs。 Crayford。
〃No；〃 Clara answered； 〃I am not satisfied yet。〃
〃What！ still looking for him？ This is really too absurd。 Here is
my husband coming。 I shall tell him to call a cab； and send you
home。〃
Clara drew back a few steps。
〃I won't be in the way； Lucy； while you are taking leave of your
good husband；〃 she said。 〃I will wait here。〃
〃Wait here！ What for？〃
〃For something which I may yet see； or for something which I may
still hear。〃
〃Richard Wardour？〃
〃Richard Wardour。〃
Mrs。 Crayford turned to her husband without another word。 Clara's
infatuation was beyond the reach of remonstrance。
The boats of the _Wanderer_ took the place at the landing…stage
vacated by the boats of the _Sea…mew_。 A burst of cheering among
the outer ranks of the crowd announced the arrival of the
commander of the expedition on the scene。 Captain Helding
appeared； looking right and left for his first lieutenant。
Finding Crayford with his wife； the captain made his apologies
for interfering； with his best grace。
〃Give him up to his professional duties for one minute； Mrs。
Crayford； and you shall have him back again for half an hour。 The
Arctic expedition is to blame； my dear ladynot the captainfor
parting man and wife。 In Crayford's place； I should have left it
to the bachelors to find the Northwest Passage； and have stopped
at home with you！〃
Excusing himself in those bluntly complimentary terms； Captain
Helding drew the lieutenant aside a few steps； accidentally
taking a direction that led the two officers close to the place
at which Clara was standing。 Both the captain and the lieutenant
were too completely absorbed in their professional business to
notice her。 Neither the one nor the other had the faintest
suspicion that she could and did hear every word of the talk that
passed between them。
〃You received my note this morning？〃 the captain began。
〃Certainly； Captain Helding； or I should have been on board the
ship before this。〃
〃I am going on board myself at once；〃 the captain proceeded； 〃but
I must ask you to keep your boat waiting for half an hour more。
You will be all the longer with your wife； you know。 I thought of
that； Crayford。〃
〃I am much obliged to you； Captain Helding。 I suppose there is
some other reason for inverting the customary order of things；
and keeping the lieutenant on shore after the captain is on
board？〃
〃Quite true！ there _is_ another reason。 I want you to wait for a
volunteer who has just joined us。〃
〃A volunteer！〃
〃Yes。 He has his outfit to get in a hurry； and he may be half an
hour late。〃
〃It's rather a sudden appointment； isn't it？〃
〃No doubt。 Very sudden。〃
〃Andpardon meit's rather a long time （as we are situated） to
keep the ships waiting for one man？〃
〃Quite true； again。 But a man who is worth having is worth
waiting for。 This man is worth having； this man is worth his
weight in gold to such an expedition as ours。 Seasoned to all
climates and all fatiguesa strong fellow； a brave fellow； a
clever fellowin short； an excellent officer。 I know him well；
or I should never have taken him。 The country gets plenty of work
out of my new volunteer； Crayford。 He only returned yesterday
from foreign service。〃
〃He only returned yesterday from foreign service！ And he
volunteers this morning to join the Arctic expedition？ You
astonish me。〃
〃I dare say I do！ You can't be more astonished than I was； when
he presented himself at my hotel and told me what he wanted。
'Why； my good fellow； you have just got home；' I said。 'Are you
weary of your freedom； after only a few hours' experience of it？'
His answer rather startled me。 He said； 'I am weary of my life；
sir。 I have come home and found a trouble to welcome me； which
goes near to break my heart。 If I don't take refuge in absence
and hard work； I am a lost man。 Will you give me a refuge？'
That's what he said； Crayford； word for word。〃
〃Did you ask him to explain himself further？〃
〃Not I！ I knew his value； and I took the poor devil on the spot；
without pestering him with any more questions。 No need to ask him
to explain himself。 The facts speak for themselves in these
cases。 The old story； my good friend！ There's a woman at the
bottom of it； of course。〃
Mrs。 Crayford； waiting for the return of her husband as patiently
as she could； was startled by feeling a hand suddenly laid on her
shoulder。 She looked round； and confronted Clara。 Her first
feeling of surprise changed instantly to alarm。 Clara was
trembling from head to foot。
〃What is the matter？ What has frightened you； my dear？〃
〃Lucy！ I _have_ heard of him！〃
〃Richard Wardour again？〃
〃Remember what I told you。 I have heard every word of the
conversation between Captain Helding and your husband。 A man came
to the captain this morning and volunteered to join the
_Wanderer_。 The captain has taken him。 The man is Richard
Wardour。〃
〃You don't mean it！ Are you sure？ Did you hear Captain Helding
mention his name？〃
〃No。〃
〃Then how do you know it's Richard Wardour？〃
〃Don't ask me！ I am as certain of it； as that I am standing here！
They are going away together； Lucyaway to the eternal ice and
snow。 My foreboding has come true！ The two will meetthe man who
is to marry me and the man whose heart I have broken！〃
〃Your foreboding has _not_ come true； Clara！ The men have not met
herethe men are not likely to meet elsewhere。 They are
appointed to separate ships。 Frank belongs to the _Sea…mew_； and
Wardour to the _Wanderer_。 See！ Captain Helding has done。 My
husband is coming this way。 Let me make sure。 Let me speak to
him。〃
Lieutenant Crayford returned to his wife。 She spoke to him
instantly。
〃William！ you have got a new volunteer who joins the _Wanderer_？〃
〃What！ you have been listening to the captain and me？〃
〃I want to know his name？〃
〃How in the world did you manage to hear what we said to each
othe