And certain stars shot madly from their spheres To hear the sea-maid’s music. I turned my eyes for a second from Maggie’s face and looked at Karl. He reminded me of a youthful warrior of the age of chivalry, who, guarding his armor in some holy fane during the still watches of the night, found a sweet vision smiling on him instead of the stone saint or stained-glass picture of crude daylight. Evidently he was unaware of having exerted any perturbing influence on Maggie. He was quite genuinely surprised by the coincidence revealed by her words. The girl herself seemed to be anxious that we should not answer her mother’s question. “It is difficult to tell you exactly what happened,” she exclaimed hurriedly. “I was so confused afterwards that I scarcely could form a coherent idea, and that is why mama complains that I have not said much about it. But I can give you certain incidents which stood out clearly. In the first place, I seemed to lose my senses. I had a curious sensation akin to that felt if one’s arm goes to sleep, as we say; only this was general in its effect, and I had not been sitting in an awkward position. Then I heard voices. Everything was dark, though, of course, you understand it was broad daylight on board the ship. Still, I thought I heard two men talking about me, and their remarks were so peculiar that I could not help listening. I should explain that the men were not on board. Indeed, I believe, they were then, and are now, in New York.” “Were they Wilhelm Steindal and Paul Constantine?” said Karl, eagerly. The question was out before he realized that it had better have remained unspoken. The effect was as instantaneous as any writer of melo-farce could hope for. Mrs. Hutchinson clapped her hands in her excitement, and Maggie became very red indeed. “So you, too, knew all about it,” she murmured. “No,” said Karl. “I know absolutely nothing of any incident on board the _Merlin_ which affects, in any way, the experience you are relating.” “Or afterwards?” “None, whatever. But I am interrupting you. I am sorry. It was quite involuntary on my part.” Miss Hutchinson appeared to gain confidence after this. She and Karl, and, to a certain extent, I myself, were in the position of ships of different nationalities on the high seas, using the same code-signals, but unable to interpret them without reference to a translation.