This proposition was received by the two young people with grateful joy, as a short but most welcome reprieve from speedy death, or—what seemed the same thing to them—speedy separation. It gave them two or three more days of precious life, or its equivalent—each other’s society. They cheered up under it and looked more hopefully to the future. And in a few weeks more, they decided, they should be sure to see Le again at some of the ports of the Mediterranean. When the day of parting came, Mr. Force, Leonidas and Odalite took leave of the earl and the ladies of their party and left Baden-Baden for Ostend. There were not so many steamship lines or such facilities for rapid transit as in these days. Our three travelers went by rail to Ostend, thence by steamer to London, where they rested for one night, and thence by rail to Liverpool, which they reached just twelve hours before the sailing of the _Africa_ for New York. Mr. Force and Odalite took leave of Le on the deck of the steamer, and left it only among the very last that crossed the gang plank to the steam tender a moment before the farewell gun was fired and the _Africa_ steamed out to sea. A crowd of people stood on the deck of the steamer, waving last farewells to another crowd on the deck of the tender, who waved back in response, and gazed until all distinct forms faded away in the distance. Among those on the tender who stood and gazed and waved the longest were Mr. Force and Odalite, who saw, or thought they saw, Le’s figure long after everybody else had given up the attempt to distinguish their own departing friends in a mingled and fading view. CHAPTER II STARTLING NEWS When the tender reached the dock Mr. Force touched his daughter’s arm, and whispered: “We can get a train back to London, and catch the night steamer to Ostend, and be with your mother by to-morrow evening. Shall we do so, or shall we go down to Chester and take a little tour through the Welsh mountains?” “Oh, no; papa, dear. We will go home to mamma, if you please,” said Odalite, who, amid all her grief, noticed the pale and worn look on the patient face that told of his silent suffering. “Very well, my dear. I only thought it would divert you,” he replied. They drove from the docks to the Adelphi, where Mr. Force paid their hotel bill, took up the little luggage, and, with his daughter, drove on to the railway station, and caught the express train to London, a tidal train that connected with the Ostend night boat. They reached Ostend the next day, and before night arrived at Baden-Baden, where they were received with gladness by their family, who did all that was possible to cheer the spirits of Odalite and raise her hopes for the future. They all remained in Germany until the first of November, and then set out to spend the winter on the banks of the Mediterranean.