I paid my usual visit to Mrs. Nettlepoint that night, but I troubled her
no further about Miss Mavis. She had made up her mind that everything
was smooth and settled now, and it seemed to me I had worried her, and
that she had worried herself, in sufficiency. I left her to enjoy the
deepening foretaste of arrival, which had taken possession of her mind.
Before turning in I went above and found more passengers on deck than I
had ever seen so late. Jasper moved about among them alone, but I
forbore to join him. The coast of Ireland had disappeared, but the night
and the sea were perfect. On the way to my cabin, when I came down, I
met the stewardess in one of the passages, and the idea entered my head
to say to her: "Do you happen to know where Miss Mavis is?"
"Why she's in her room, sir, at this hour."
"Do you suppose I could speak to her?" It had come into my mind to ask
her why she had wanted to know of me if I should recognise Mr.
Porterfield.
"No sir," said the stewardess; "she has gone to bed."
"That's all right." And I followed the young lady's excellent example.
The next morning, while I dressed, the steward of my side of the ship
came to me as usual to see what I wanted. But the first thing he said
to, me was: "Rather a bad job, sir--a passenger missing.
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