the smoking-room I saw that he had left it. I paid my usual visit to Mrs. Nettlepoint that night, but I troubled her no further about Miss Mavis. She had made up her mind that everything was smooth and settled now, and it seemed to me that I had worried her and that she had worried herself enough. I left her to enjoy the foretaste of arrival, which had taken possession of her mind. Before turning in I went above and found more passengers on deck than I had ever seen so late. Jasper was walking about among them alone, but I forebore to join him. The coast of Ireland had disappeared, but the night and the sea were perfect. On the way to my cabin, when I came down, I met the stewardess in one of the passages and the idea entered my head to say to her--'Do you happen to know where Miss Mavis is?' 'Why, she's in her room, sir, at this hour.' 'Do you suppose I could speak to her?' It had come into my mind to ask her why she had inquired of me whether I should recognise Mr. Porterfield. 'No, sir,' said the stewardess; 'she has gone to bed.' 'That's all right.' And I followed the young lady's excellent example. The next morning, while I was dressing, the steward of my side of the ship came to me as usual to see what I wanted. But the first thing he said to me was--'Rather a bad job, sir--a passenger missing.' 'A passenger--missing?' 'A lady, sir. I think you knew her. Miss Mavis, sir.' '_Missing?_' I cried--staring at him, horror-stricken. 'She's not on the ship. They can't find her.' 'Then where to God is she?' I remember his queer face. 'Well sir, I suppose you know that as well as I.' 'Do you mean she has jumped overboard?' 'Some time in the night, sir--on the quiet. But it's beyond every one, the way she escaped notice. They usually sees 'em, sir. It must have been about half-past two. Lord, but she was clever, sir. She didn't so much as make a splash. They say she _'ad_ come against her will, sir.'