Thus far Captain Wragge had remained silent; carefully noting in his mind the promising possibilities of a separation between Mrs. Lecount and her master which Noel Vanstone’s little fretful outbreak had just disclosed to him.  An ominous trembling in the housekeeper’s thin lips, as her master openly exposed her family affairs before strangers, and openly set her jealously at defiance, now warned him to interfere.  If the misunderstanding were permitted to proceed to extremities, there was a chance that the invitation for that evening to Sea-view Cottage might be put off.  Now, as ever, equal to the occasion, Captain Wragge called his useful information once more to the rescue.  Under the learned auspices of Joyce, he plunged, for the third time, into the ocean of science, and brought up another pearl.  He was still haranguing (on Pneumatics this time), still improving Mrs. Lecount’s mind with his politest perseverance and his smoothest flow of language—­when the walking party stopped at Noel Vanstone’s door.

“Bless my soul, here we are at your house, sir!” said the captain, interrupting himself in the middle of one of his graphic sentences.  “I won’t keep you standing a moment.  Not a word of apology, Mrs. Lecount, I beg and pray!  I will put that curious point in Pneumatics more clearly before you on a future occasion.  In the meantime I need only repeat that you can perform the experiment I have just mentioned to your own entire satisfaction with a bladder, an exhausted receiver, and a square box.  At seven o’clock this evening, sir—­at seven o’clock, Mrs. Lecount.  We have had a remarkably pleasant walk, and a most instructive interchange of ideas.  Now, my dear girl, your aunt is waiting for us.”

While Mrs. Lecount stepped aside to open the garden gate, Noel Vanstone seized his opportunity and shot a last tender glance at Magdalen, under shelter of the umbrella, which he had taken into his own hands for that express purpose.  “Don’t forget,” he said, with the sweetest smile; “don’t forget, when you come this evening, to wear that charming hat!” Before he could add any last words, Mrs. Lecount glided back to her place, and the sheltering umbrella changed hands again immediately.

“An excellent morning’s work!” said Captain Wragge, as he and Magdalen walked on together to North Shingles.  “You and I and Joyce have all three done wonders.  We have secured a friendly invitation at the first day’s fishing for it.”

He paused for an answer; and, receiving none, observed Magdalen more attentively than he had observed her yet.  Her face had turned deadly pale again; her eyes looked out mechanically straight before her in heedless, reckless despair.

“What is the matter?” he asked, with the greatest surprise.  “Are you ill?”

She made no reply; she hardly seemed to hear him.

“Are you getting alarmed about Mrs. Lecount?” he inquired next.  “There is not the least reason for alarm.  She may fancy she has heard something like your voice before, but your face evidently bewilders her.  Keep your temper, and you keep her in the dark.  Keep her in the dark, and you will put that two hundred pounds into my hands before the autumn is over.”