He walked down to the wharves and stood by the water’s edge, his hat pulled over his fair brows to keep it on, his hands in his pockets, the very picture of a careless saunterer, but a great wave of despair was surging in his heart. “My poor Neva!” he said to himself. “Where is she this wild day? Does she begin to think I am never coming to rescue her?” His wild glances, straying over the boats in the river, settled at that instant upon a graceful yacht just coming to anchor. He could read on her stern her name--_The Arrow_. He watched her idly for a long time. He saw a boat lowered from her deck, and two sailors descend into it. A gentleman in greatcoat and tall silk hat followed them, and was rowed toward the shore. The young earl started, his blue eyes flaming. Something in the attitude and carriage of the gentleman excited his keenest scrutiny. As the boat came nearer, and the faces of its occupants were revealed more plainly, a strange cry sprang to Lord Towyn’s lips. He had recognized in the tall stranger gentleman his own and Neva’s enemy--Craven Black! CHAPTER XXI. TROUBLE AHEAD FOR THE PLOTTERS. It was a strange fatality that had brought Craven Black to Inverness at the very time when his enemies were there, engaged in a search for him. The cold weather had set in early in his Highland retreat, and already a foretaste of winter reigned in the Wilderness. Octavia’s cold had settled upon her lungs, and she coughed dismally, and in a way that made Artress tremble lest the wealth upon which they all counted and Octavia’s life should die out together. Medicine was needed imperatively, and so were all manner of winter supplies: and it was for these things Craven Black had ventured from his stronghold like some beast of prey, and when he should have obtained them he intended to return to the Wilderness, and there wait patiently until Neva should yield to his infamous demands that she should wed his son. He sprang nimbly from the boat on reaching the wharf, and taking the cigar from his mouth, said, in a voice loud enough to convey his words to the ears of Lord Towyn, whom he had not even seen: “I am going up among the shops, boys, to make my purchases. I shall go nowhere except to the shops, for I don’t want to incur any risks. Be guarded, and say nothing to any one about your business or employer. I sha’n’t go aboard under two or three hours, and you can spend the time in some gin-shop. Here’s a crown to divide between you, but don’t get drunk. Remember, we must get all our stores aboard early and be off at daybreak in the morning. Be back at the boat here in a couple of hours.” The men assented and took the money given them, hurrying away. Craven Black walked in an opposite direction, and was soon lost to view. Lord Towyn turned his gaze on the yacht. He saw that a man had been left in charge of the yacht, for the captain stood on the deck smoking a pipe.