“No, I thank you; I’ll look,” said Hugh, resolutely turning to the pages.  Lady Tennys leaned weakly against the counter and looked through blurred eyes at the racing lines of ink.  Hugh rapidly ran his fingers through the list, passing dozens of passengers they had known.  As the finger approached the “R’s” it moved more slowly, more tremblingly.  “Reed—­Reyer—­Ridge!” “Hugh Ridge, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.”  He grew sick when he saw his own name among those who were dead.

“She was saved,” he murmured, for there was but one Ridge there.

“Look for Vernon,” whispered his companion.

“Van Camp—­Valentine—­Wilson.”  It was not there—­nor was Veath’s!

“Are they on the list?” asked the clerk.

“Let me see the names of those who were saved,” said Hugh bravely, joy and anxiety welling to the surface like twin bubbles.

“Two pages over, sir.”

Over went the pages so ruthlessly that the scribe was in trepidation lest they should be crumpled beyond redemption.  Hugh read aloud in an unnatural voice: 

“Costello—­Hamilton—­Ridge—­Shadburn—­Veath.”

His hand fell upon the page and his head dropped forward till his lips touched the name that danced before his eyes.

“Here it is!  Here it is!” he shouted, hugging the book.

“Thank God!” cried she, tears rushing to her eyes.  Together they read and re-read the name, scarcely able to believe that she was truly one of the few to escape.  “And Henry Veath, too.  Oh, Hugh, it is a miracle—­a real miracle!”

“Old Veath saved her!  I knew he would if he had a ghost of a chance.  Tennys, Tennys, I can’t believe it is true.”  He was beside himself in his excitement.  Captain Hildebrand, the clerk, and the other attaches looked on with happy smiles.  In this moment of relief they forgot completely that, in leaving the island, they had been filled with a sort of dread lest they should find her who might come between them.

“We must find Veath,” went on Hugh rapidly.  “Is he in Manila?”

“He is in the Government Building, sir,” answered the clerk.  Already Hugh was edging toward the door, holding Lady Tennys by the arm.  “Is Mr. Veath a relative?”

“No; he’s more than that.  He’s a friend.  We were on the Tempest Queen together when she went down.”

“You were—­on—­the—­what did you say, sir?” gasped the clerk.

“He doesn’t know who we are, Hugh.”

“That’s so.  Add two more names to the list of saved and scratch ’em off the other.  Put down Lady Huntingford and Hugh Ridge.”

The clerk’s eyes bulged.  Every man in the office came forward in amazement.

“It’s the truth,” volunteered the Winnetka’s captain.  “I picked them up last week.”

“Where’s the cable office?  I must send a message to Miss Ridge.  When did she sail for the United States?”

“She hasn’t sailed, sir.  Her name is Vernon, and she’s been waiting in Manila for news of you ever since.  Get some water there, Cleary!  He’s going to faint.”  Ridgeway collapsed against the counter, his face going deadly pale.  Lady Tennys sank into her chair, huddling limply as if to withstand a shock, while from her stricken face two wide blue eyes centred themselves hopelessly on her lover.