It was wonderful what
rapid progress Lesbia made.
She heard a church clock on the island striking, and asked Don Gomez the
hour.
'Ten,' he said.
'Ten! Surely it must be later. It was past eight before we began dinner,
and we have been sailing for ever so long. Captain, kindly tell me the
time,' she called to the skipper, who was lolling over the gunwale near
the foremast smoking a meditative pipe.
'Twelve o'clock, my lady.'
'Heavens, can I possibly have been sitting here so long. I should like
to stay on deck all night and watch the sailing; but I must really go
and take care of poor Lady Kirkbank. I am afraid she is not very well.'
'She had a somewhat distracted air when she went below, but I daresay
she will sleep off her troubles. If I were you I should leave her to
herself.'
'Impossible! What can have become of Mr. Smithson?'
'I have a shrewd suspicion that it is with Smithson as with poor Lady
Kirkbank.'
'Do you mean that he is ill?'
'Precisely.'
'What, on a calm summer night, sailing over a sea of glass.
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