At first Ruxton had been patient. There had been much to occupy him of an important nature at the shipyards. He had had little time to think of anything else. The constructions were steadily growing under the energetic hands of his engineers and marine architects. Already the promise of the future was taking definite shape. The work, pressed on at his urging, was proceeding apace. Already the completed outlines of two of the hulls filled twin slipways. His enthusiasm was growing with the rapidity of a man of keen imagination. His dreams were becoming real, tangible. The experiment was full of a promise which weeks ago had no place in his almost despairing regard of the future. But at night there was less occupation for his mind, and inevitably his thoughts flew at once to the woman who had opened out to him the radiant possibilities of his future. No reply had reached him on that first night, and unease began to make itself felt. He mentioned the matter to his father with marked unconcern. The shrewd Yorkshire eyes which regarded him were blandly uncurious. "Did you word it for reply?" he enquired, glancing up from the pictorial periodical he was looking at. Ruxton had not worded it particularly so, he assured him, with a glance of trouble in his dark eyes. Then the old man went on with his paper. "I shouldn't worry about it," he said calmly. "It must have been delivered, or it would have been returned to you." But the assurance was without effect upon the lover. He said no more then, but at dinner the following evening his anxiety would no longer be denied. The butler had withdrawn. Ruxton had been unusually disinclined to talk during the meal. The keen brain of his father had summed up the reason to a fraction, but, with quiet understanding, he had waited for the unburdening which he knew would soon come. It came as Ruxton, ignoring the dessert, sat back in his chair and lit a cigar. "I've ordered a special train for town, Dad; I can't stand the suspense any longer." "You mean--the answer to your message." Sir Andrew made no attempt to misunderstand him. "But where is the suspense? It was a message of--his arrival, I understand. The answer was optional."