black water； through the ashy light。
〃Wake； Frank！ wake and defend yourself！ Richard Wardour knows
that I love youRichard Wardour's vengeance will take your life！
Wake； Frankwake！ You are drifting to your death！〃 A low groan
of horror bursts from her； sinister and terrible to hear。
〃Drifting！ drifting！〃 she whispers to herself〃drifting to his
death！〃
Her glassy eyes suddenly softenthen close。 A long shudder runs
through her。 A faint flush shows itself on the deadly pallor of
her face； and fades again。 Her limbs fail her。 She sinks into
Mrs。 Crayford's arms。
The servants； answering the call for help； carry her into the
house。 They lay her insensible on her bed。 After half an hour or
more； her eyes open againthis time with the light of life in
themopen； and rest languidly on the friend sitting by the
bedside。
〃I have had a dreadful dream；〃 she murmurs faintly。 〃Am I ill；
Lucy？ I feel so weak。〃
Even as she says the words； sleep； gentle； natural sleep； takes
her suddenly； as it takes young children weary with their play。
Though it is all over now； though no further watching is
required； Mrs。 Crayford still keeps her place by the bedside； too
anxious and too wakeful to retire to her own room。
On other occasions； she is accustomed to dismiss from her mind
the words which drop from Clara in the trance。 This time the
effort to dismiss them is beyond her power。 The words haunt her。
Vainly she recalls to memory all that the doctors have said to
her； in speaking of Clara in the state of trance。 〃What she
vaguely dreads for the lost man whom she loves is mingled in her
mind with what she is constantly reading； of trials； dangers； and
escapes in the Arctic seas。 The most startling things that she
may say or do are all attributable to this cause； and may all be
explained in this way。〃 So the doctors have spoken； and； thus
far； Mrs。 Crayford has shared their view。 It is only to…night
that the girl's words ring in her ear； with a strange prophetic
sound in them。 It is only to…night that she asks herself： 〃Is
Clara present； in the spirit； with our loved and lost ones in the
lonely North？ Can mortal vision see the dead and living in the
solitudes of the Frozen Deep？〃
Chapter 14。
The night had passed。
Far and near the garden view looked its gayest and brightest in
the light of the noonday sun。 The cheering sounds which tell of
life and action were audible all round the villa。 From the garden
of the nearest house rose the voices of children at play。 Along
the road at the back sounded the roll of wheels； as carts and
carriages passed at intervals。 Out on the blue sea； the distant
splash of the paddles； the distant thump of the engines； told
from time to time of the passage of steamers； entering or leaving
the strait between the island and the mainland。 In the trees； the
birds sang gayly among the rustling leaves。 In the house； the
women…servants were laughing over some jest or story that cheered
them at their work。 It was a lively and pleasant timea bright；
enjoyable day。
The two ladies were out together； resting on a garden seat； after
a walk round the grounds。
They exchanged a few trivial words relating to the beauty of the
day； and then said no more。 Possessing the same consciousness of
what she had seen in the trance which persons in general possess
of what they have seen in a dreambelieving in the vision as a
supernatural revelationClara's worst forebodings were now； to
her mind； realized as truths。 Her last faint hope of ever seeing
Frank again was now at an end。 Intimate experience of her told
Mrs。 Crayford what was passing in Clara's mind； and warned her
that the attempt to reason and remonstrate would be little better
than a voluntary waste of words and time。 The disposition which
she had herself felt on the previous night； to attach a
superstitious importance to the words that Clara had spoken in
the trance； had vanished with the return of the morning。 Rest and
reflection had quieted her mind； and had restored the composing
influence of her sober sense。 Sympathizing with Clara in all
besides； she had no sympathy； as they sat together in the
pleasant sunshine； with Clara's gloomy despair of the future。
She； who could still hope； had nothing to say to the sad
companion who had done with hope。 So the quiet minutes succeeded
each other； and the two friends sat side by side in silence。
An hour passed； and the gate…bell of the villa rang。
They both startedthey both knew the ring。 It was the hour when
the postman brought their newspapers from London。 In past days；
what hundreds on hundreds of times they had torn off the cover
which inclosed the newspaper； and looked at the same column with
the same weary mingling of hope and despair！ There to…dayas it
was yesterday； as it would be； if they lived； to…morrowthere
was the servant with Lucy's newspaper and Clara's newspaper in
his hand！
Would both of them do again to…day what both had done so often in
the days that were gone？
No！ Mrs。 Crayford removed the cover from her newspaper as usual。
Clara laid _her_ newspaper aside； unopened； on the garden seat。
In silence； Mrs。 Crayford looked； where she always looked； at the
column devoted to the Latest Intelligence from foreign parts。 The
instant her eye fell on the page she started with a loud cry of
joy。 The newspaper fell from her trembling hand。 She caught Clara
in her arms。 〃Oh； my darling！ my darling！ news of them at last。〃
Without answering； without the slightest change in look or
manner； Clara took the newspaper from the ground； and read the
top line in the column； printed in capital letters：
THE ARCTIC EXPEDITION。
She waited； and looked at Mrs。 Crayford。
〃Can you bear to hear it； Lucy；〃 she asked； 〃if I read it aloud？〃
Mrs。 Crayford was too agitated to answer in words。 She signed
impatiently to Clara to go on。
Clara read the news which followed the heading in capital
letters。 Thus it ran：
〃The following intelligence； from St。 Johns； Newfoundland； has
reached us for publication。 The whaling…vessel _Blythew ood_ is
reported to have met with the surviving officers and men of the
Expedition in Davis Strait。 Many are stated to be dead； and some
are supposed to be missing。 The list of the saved； as collected
by the people of the whaler； is not vouched for as being
absolutely correct； the circumstances having been adverse to
investigation。 The vessel was pressed for time； and the members
of the Expedition； all more or less suffering from exhaustion；
were not in a position to give the necessary assistance to
inquiry。 Further particulars may be looked for by the next mail。〃
The list of the survivors followed； beginning with the officers
in the order of their rank。 They both read the list together。 The
first name was Captain Helding； the second was Lieutenant
Crayford。
There the wife's joy overpowered her。 After a pause； she put her
arm around Clara's waist； and spoke to her。
〃Oh； my love！〃 she murmured； 〃are you as happy as I am？ Is
Frank's name there too？ The tears are in my eyes。 Read for meI
can't read for myself。〃
The answer came； in still； sad tones：
〃I have read as far as your husband's name。 I have no need to
read further。〃
Mrs。 Crayford dashed the tears from her eyessteadied
herselfand looked at the newspaper。
On the list of the survivors； the search was vain。 Frank's name
was not among them。 On a second list； headed 〃Dead or Missing；〃
the first two names that appeared were：
FRANCIS ALDERSLEY。 RICHARD WARDOUR。
In speechless distress and dismay； Mrs。 Crayford looked at Clara。
Had she force enough in her feeble health to sustain the shock
that had fallen on her？ Yes！ she bore it with a strange unnatural
resignationshe looked； she spoke； with the sad self…possession
of despair。
〃I was prepared for it；〃 she said。 〃I saw them in the spirit last
night。 Richard Wardour has discovered the truth； and Frank has
paid the penalty with his lifeand I； I alone； am to blame。〃 She
shuddered； and put her hand on her heart。 〃We shall not be long
parted； Lucy。 I shall go to him。 He will not return to me。〃
Those words were spoken with a calm certainty of conviction that
was terrible to hear。 〃I have no more to say；〃 she added； after a
moment； and rose to return to the house。 Mrs。 Crayford caught her
by the hand； and forced her to take her seat again。
〃Don't look at me； don't speak to me； in that horrible manner！〃
she exclaimed。 〃Clara！ it is unworthy of a reasonable being； it
is doubting the mercy of God； to say what you have just said。
Look at the newspaper again。 See！ They tell you plainly that
their information is not to be depended onthey warn you to wait
for further particulars。 The very words at the top of the list
show how little they knew of the truth 'Dead _or_ Missing！' On
their own showing； it is quite as likely that Frank is missing as
that Frank is dead。 For all you know； the next mail may bring a
letter from him。 Are you listening to me？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Can you deny what I say？〃
〃No。〃
〃'Yes！' 'No！' Is that the way to answer me when I am so
distressed and so anxious about you？〃
〃I am sorry I spoke as I did； Lucy。 We look at some subjects in
very different ways。 I don't dispute； dear； that yours is the
reasonable view。〃
〃You don't dispute？〃 retorted Mrs。 Crayford； warmly。 〃No！ you do
what is worseyou believe in your own opinion； you persist in
your own conclusionwith the newspaper before you！ Do you； or do
you not； believe the newspaper？〃
〃I believe in what I saw last night。〃
〃In what you saw last night！ You； an educated woman； a clever
woman； believing in a vision of your own fancya mere dream！ I
wonder you are not ashamed to acknowledge it！〃
〃Call it a dream if you like； Lucy。 I have had other dreams at
other timesand I have known them to be fulfilled。〃
〃Yes！〃 said Mrs。 Crayford。 〃For once in a way they may have been
fulfilled； by chanceand you notice it； and remember it； and pin
your faith on it。 Come； Clara； be honest！What about the
occasions when the chance has been against you； and your dreams
have not been fulfilled？ You superstitious people are all alike。
You conveniently forget when your dreams and