"I deeply grieve to have wounded your feelings," said Mr Shallard. "Oh, do not tell me he is dead, do not," cried May again. "My dear young lady, had not his father been convinced of the fact, I should not have ventured to interfere in the matter. He, I trust, may have received wrong information, and I hope Lieutenant Castleton may really be alive, and that he may bestow his fortune on you in a far more satisfactory manner. I have only taken a precautionary step in case the will should be disputed." The lawyer knew enough of the female heart to be aware that his remarks were more likely to be beneficial to the interesting young girl than any expressions of condolence he could have uttered. May looked up with a smile of hope. "Yes, he will come back, I am sure he will. No one saw the ship go down." The lawyer, however, induced Miss Jane to accompany him to the dining-room, and to sign the necessary papers, observing-- "I trust the young gentleman may appear, but it is always right in these cases to be on the safe side. If he reappears, I am sure he will be much obliged to us for acting as he would have wished had he been lost." Miss Jane took the opportunity of mentioning to Mr Shallard the arrival of young Miles Gaffin in disguise at Hurlston. The lawyer listened to all she said. "I will have the gentleman looked after," he answered. "Information has been laid against the father, and he, in all probability, will be implicated. If it can be proved that he assisted in carrying off young Halliburt, we can lay hands on him at once. If his father gets an intimation of our intentions, we shall require a strong force, as he has a number of desperate fellows at his back, and would certainly protect his son, and endeavour to rescue him." "But if so, do you think that we here are safe from his atrocious designs. It never occurred to me before," said Miss Jane, in some trepidation, as the idea entered her mind, "that he may possibly make some rash attempt upon this house. It is not easy to fathom his motives, but there must be something behind which we do not yet understand." "I cannot say that I think you are quite safe," observed the lawyer. "If I have your authority for stating that you dread an attack from the smugglers, I will apply for a body of revenue officers to be sent to Hurlston, and as we have a body of sea-fencibles at Morbury, I will get my friend, Captain Shirley, to send over a few to support them. A ruffian, such as this Gaffin undoubtedly is, must no longer be allowed to continue his career if the law can lay hands on him." The arrangement Mr Shallard proposed greatly relieved Miss Jane's mind. She had not mentioned her fears either to her sister or to May, and probably they weighed more on her mind on that account.