“Her head, then. In which direction was her head? Where did her head point? Up or down?” “Why, chile, when _I_ seen her, her head pointed straight up in de _sky_, wid a blue an’ white flag aflyin’ from the top of it! least ways it wer a blue groun’ wid a ’mendous big white cross on it, as Miss Susan said, wer a Union Jack—which _Jack_ being short for Jonathan, and _Union_ meanin’ de United States—made me think how she must a’ been a ’Merican ship. But any ways, long as yer so anxious to know, her head pointed straight up to de sky!” “Oh dear me, Amphy! we are not talking of the _mast_ head, but of the prow—the forepart of the vessel!” said Barbara, impatiently. “’Den ’clare to my ’Vine Master I doesn’t know de head from de tail!” retorted the Ocean Queen. “Neptune! can you inform me whether, when you saw that vessel at anchor in the day time, her prow pointed up or down the bay?” “’Deed, honey, she stood neyther up _nor_ down the Bay; but right _crossways_, wid her prow pintin’ right in toward the Headland here!” “Satisfactory! And you do not know, Neptune, whether she went up or down the Bay?” “’Deed, honey, I don’t know nuffin ’tall, ’bout ’cept what I’se already telled you.” “Did the lady leave a letter or a message with either of you?” “’Clare to Marster, honey, de chile didn’t leave no letter ’long of us, nor likewise no message cept ’twas to give her love an’ de Lor’ might bless you.” It were tedious to repeat the close and severe cross-questioning to which the old people were subjected. Suffice it to say that the catechism proved fruitless. The old couple had already informed their mistress of all they had learned upon the subject of the mysterious flitting. At length Barbara said, “It is barely possible, my lord, that she has left a note or letter for me upon her dressing-table, or somewhere in the house. Shall we get lights, proceed thither, and examine the premises?” Lord Montressor bowed in silence. His heart was too heavily oppressed with despair for many words. Barbara told the old man to light a lantern and attend them back to the old house. And once more the whole party, preceded by the old man with the light, traversed the winding beach, ascended the weary bluff, and stood before the half-ruined mansion. Neptune, who had the keys as well as the lantern, unlocked the front door and admitted them. The damp, dreary wind that must have blown out the light had it not been protected by the glass lantern, was the only thing that welcomed them.