“God grant she is.  I’ll throw myself at her feet and she shall be made to understand,” he said, but a nameless chill crossed him.

“You would break her heart,” moaned she.  “Our poor, poor wedding day.”

“There will be another glad and joyous day,” he said, trying to find heart.

“I will go where you go, Hugh,” she said.

A few long sweeps of the oars and the white boat, with its blue trimmings, shot upon the beach, and the officer leaped forward to meet the waiting pair.

“I am Ensign Carruthers, United States cruiser Winnetka, Captain Hildebrand commanding.  We saw your flag and were considerably mystified,” he said, doffing his cap to her Ladyship.  But Ridgeway, forgetting politeness, dignity and reserve, rushed up and grabbed him by the hand, mad with the exuberance of joy.

“Saved!  Saved!  Saved!”

Carruthers, dumbfounded, looked from one to the other of the now frantic couple.  He saw white people dressed in most unusual garments, the woman possessing a gloriously beautiful face and the air of royalty, the man bushy haired and stalwart, every inch a gentleman and an American.

“What does this mean?” he demanded.

“You are the first white man we have seen in more than a year,” cried Hugh.

“We have seen none but savages,” added she, tears of happiness starting afresh down her cheeks.

“You were wrecked?” exclaimed the sailor, appalled.

It was an incoherent recital that the two poured into his ears, first one, then the other talking excitedly, but it was not long before he was in possession of all the facts.

“You were on the Tempest Queen,” he cried, doubting his ears.

“Was no one saved?” they cried breathlessly.

“The captain and five or six passengers, I think, were picked up, almost starved, in a boat, some days after the wreck.  All others were lost.”

“Who were the passengers?” asked Hugh, trembling with eagerness.

“I don’t recall the names.”

“Was there a Miss Ridge among them?”

“Was Lord Huntingford saved?”

“I can’t say as to the lady, but I know that Lord Huntingford was lost.  I remember the papers were full of headlines about him and his young wife.  His dead body was picked up by a steamer.  She was not found.”

“She has just been found,” said Hugh.  “This it Lady Huntingford.”

* * * * *

The Winnetka was on a three years’ cruise.  Her engines had broken down a few days before, during a storm, and she was carried out of her course.  The machinery being repaired, she was now picking her way toward Manila.  The sailors were sent back to the warship, with information for the commander, and Carruthers accompanied the joyous couple to the village.  The natives had seen the ship and the white men, and there was intense excitement among them.