“There is ample time, my dear,” was the reply. “And even if I were too late, the child is well able to dispense with anybody’s assistance, especially as she has Briny with her.” “I wouldn’t be too sure of that. Now that the terrible strain is nearly over, a reaction may have set in, and the dear girl may be as helpless as a fashionable doll.” This reflection quickened Mr. Cory’s movements, with the result that he was at the station quite an hour before the time appointed. He found the long wait almost intolerable, but at last received the reward he sought. Miss Margaret’s conjecture had not been far wrong. True, Annie was still quite capable of directing minor affairs, but the strain imposed by the necessity for daily, nay hourly, deception, had told upon her, and she looked both weary and ill. But she soon brightened up under her father’s radiant welcome. Her return home was in every respect a joyful one, and the whole of the evening was spent in interchanging confidences and experiences. The trio of elderly people listened with the greatest astonishment to Annie’s account of her adventures in Lina, and of the mode in which Hugh Stavanger, alias Gregory Staines, had been kidnapped and conveyed to English territory. Considerable management and diplomacy had been required ere it had been possible to overcome certain difficulties in the way of securing his arrest and transshipment to England. But at last all was arranged, and the culprit would be put upon his trial for the suspected murder of Hilton Riddell. “And how have matters progressed here?” Annie inquired at last. “You are all well, and you tell me, Dad, that Harley feels confident of success. I have been so fortunate myself that I cannot but hope you have also had some little gleams of enlightenment.” “And you are quite right, dear,” exclaimed Miss Margaret, triumphantly. “There is no end of news to tell you. To begin with, old Mr. Stavanger----” “No, that isn’t the beginning of the story,” interrupted Mr. Cory, smiling. “Now, John, who is to tell the story--you or I?” “Oh, you, of course.” “Then be good enough to let me tell it in my own way. I shall just start where I did before. Captain Cochrane--” “Captain Cochrane? What of him, for Heaven’s sake?” cried Annie, in great excitement. “Did you ever try to tell anything to more unreasonable people, Mrs. Riddell? They want to hear all sorts of news, and yet they take the words out of my mouth.”