“But if he found it hard to speak, there seemed to me no reason why I shouldn’t.  Except my father and mother and he, no one knows that I was well nigh a murderer.  And though he has so generously forgiven me, and I have in a small way tried to show my gratitude to him, it was still painful to me to have to tell the story to anyone else.  But I felt that I ought to do it—­not for his sake, because he has told me that what I had looked for and what he had so hoped for is not to be—­but because I thought that you ought not to be allowed to sacrifice your life to such a man; and partly, too, because I wished to spare my dear master the pain of telling the story, and of perhaps being misunderstood.”

“Thank you, George,” she said, quietly.  “You have done quite right in telling—­”

At this moment some voices were heard at the other end of the garden.

“I will be going at once,” George said, seizing the opportunity of getting away; and turning, he walked down the garden and left the house.

“Who is your friend, Bertha?” Miss Haverley said, laughingly, as she met Bertha coming slowly down the garden.

“Why—­is anything the matter?” she exclaimed, as she caught sight of her face.

“I have become suddenly faint, Hannah,” Bertha replied.  “I suppose it was the heat yesterday; and it is very warm this morning, too.  I am better now, and it will soon pass over.  I will go indoors for half an hour, and then I shall be quite right again.

“My friend is no one particular.  He is Major Mallett’s factotum.  He only brought me up a message, but as I know all the men on the Osprey, and have not been on board this season, of course there was a good deal to ask about.”

“Well, you must get well as soon as you can,” Miss Haverley said.  “You know we shall leave in half an hour for the yacht, so as to get under way in time for the start.”

At the appointed time, Bertha joined the party below.  Her eyes looked heavy and her cheeks were flushed, but she assured Miss Haverley that she felt quite herself now, and that she was sure that the sea air would set her up altogether.  The schooner was under way a quarter of an hour before the gun was fired, and sailed east, as the course was twice round the Nab and back.

Yachts were flitting about in all directions, for a light air had only sprung up during the last half hour.

“There is the Phantom,” Lord Haverley said.  “She has been cruising about the last two days to get her sails stretched, and they look uncommonly well.  Carthew told me yesterday that she would be across early this morning, and that he should go round with the race to see how she did.  I think you young ladies will have a very good chance of being able to boast that you have sailed in the yacht that won the Queen’s Cup.  I fancy it lies between her and the Osprey.  Mallett is getting up sail, too, I see, but as the Phantom is going with the race, I don’t suppose he will.  She is a fine craft, though I own I like the cutter rig better.  The Phantom will have to allow her time, but not a great deal, for the yawl is the heaviest tonnage.