“Oh, Fred!” she said, wildly, “I wonder you can look me in the face. Where have you been all this time? Where have you been?” “Give the man time to think,” said her brother, exchanging a glance with the other man. “I’ve been everywhere,” said Flower, facing them defiantly. “I’ve been hunted all over the country.” “But where did you go when you left me that day?” enquired Miss Tipping. “It’s a long story,” said Flower, slowly. “But you got the letter I wrote you?” Miss Tipping shook her head. “You didn’t get it?” said Flower, in surprise. “I can’t think what you must have thought of me.” “I’ll tell you what I thought of you, if you’d like to know,” interrupted Mr. Tipping, eagerly. “I wrote to you to explain,” said Flower, glibly; “I went abroad suddenly, called away at a moment’s notice.” “Special trains and all that sort o’ thing, I s’pose,” said Mr. Tipping, with interest. “Dick,” said Miss Tipping, fiercely. “Well,” said Dick, gruffly. “Hold your tongue.” “I’ve not had any real sleep since,” said Flower, pathetically, “what with the danger and thinking of you.” “Why didn’t you write again?” enquired Miss Tipping. “I asked you to write to a certain address in that letter I sent you,” said Flower, “and when I came back to England and found there was no letter, I concluded that you couldn’t forgive me.” Miss Tipping looked at him reproachfully, but Mr. Tipping, raising his eyes, gasped for air. “But who are these enemies?” asked Miss Tipping, tenderly drawing closer to Flower. “A man in the Government service——” began the captain. He broke off disdainfully until such time as Mr. Tipping should have conquered a somewhat refractory cough. “In the secret service,” continued Flower, firmly, “has got enemies all round him.” “You’ll have to get something else to do when we are married, Fred,” said Miss Tipping, tearfully. “You’ve forgiven me, then?” said Flower, hoping that he had concealed a nervous start. “I’d forgive you anything, Fred,” said Miss Tipping, tenderly; “you’ll have to give up this job at once.” Captain Flower shook his head and smiled mournfully, thereby intimating that his services were of too valuable a nature for any Government to lightly dispense with. “May I come round and see you to-morrow?” he enquired, putting his arm about the lady’s waist. “Come round to-morrow?” repeated Miss Tipping, in surprise; “why, you don’t think I’m going to leave you here surrounded by dangers? You’re coming home with us now.” “No, to-morrow,” said the unhappy mariner, in a winning voice. “You don’t go out of my sight again,” said Miss Tipping, firmly. “Dick, you and Fred shake hands.” The two gentlemen complied. Both were somewhat proud of their grip, and a bystander might have mistaken their amiable efforts to crush each other’s fingers for the outward and visible signs of true affection. “You’d better settle up here now, Fred,” said Miss Tipping.