After a careful examination of the injuries he had received, the doctor pronounced them to be in no sense dangerous, although serious. The measures which had been adopted to allay irritation and heal the burns were highly approved; and, having dressed the wounded parts and administered a cooling draught, he took his departure, giving strict instructions as to the course to be followed, with a view to reduce the fever, and promising to return in three days unless previously sent for, which he did not apprehend would be necessary. *CHAPTER X.* *THE MISSING LINK.* "’There is no God,’ the foolish saith,— But none, ’There is no sorrow.’"—E. B. BROWNING. On returning to the Hall, after her purposeless journey to the railway-station to meet her son Ralph, Mrs. Sinclair waited the whole of that day, anxiously hoping that some intelligence would be received to account for his non-arrival, but neither letter nor message of any kind arrived. After spending a restless night, and the morning post bringing nothing to relieve the oppression which was weighing upon her mind, she told her daughter of her intention to drive into town and make inquiry at the offices of the agents, to see if anything could be learned about the passengers by the _Kestrel_. There she was informed of the vessel’s safe arrival; but that during the voyage, a passenger—supposed to be Ralph Sinclair, from papers discovered in the pocket of a coat believed to be his, as no one could be found to claim it—had been lost in mid-ocean, and that, although every effort was made at the time, they had been unsuccessful in recovering the body. The grief of both mother and daughter at this intelligence was heartrending to witness, and may be better imagined than described. They returned home in a state well-nigh bordering upon distraction, and for some hours were hopelessly helpless with grief. The news, brief though it was, seemed too circumstantial to be doubted. Later in the day, when slightly recovered from the shock which the first intelligence of her loss had caused, she resolved to write to the firm in whose employ he was engaged, in the all but vain hope they might know something with regard to his movements which would throw doubt upon the report to hand. Having done this, it remained only to wait two weary days before a reply could be received. Ralph had for some years been in the service of H. & E. Quinion, at Broadstone, and held a responsible position, which took him frequently to the Continent and other parts in executing the orders of the firm. Early the next morning a telegram came to hand, sent by the firm in question, saying, "Nothing known of R. S. beyond what the papers say to-day. Letter follows." The letter, which was received the next morning, added little to what was already known, and only contained the firm’s expression of regret if the news should turn out to be true.