Cautiously ascending the eminence of the beach, Captain Wragge looked
toward Sea-view Cottage before he showed himself on the Parade. Noel
Vanstone had reached home again; he was just entering his own door.
"If all your money was offered me to stand in your shoes," said the
captain, looking after him--"rich as you are, I wouldn't take it!"
CHAPTER VIII.
ON returning to the house, Captain Wragge received a significant message
from the servant. "Mr. Noel Vanstone would call again at two o'clock
that afternoon, when he hoped to have the pleasure of finding Mr.
Bygrave at home."
The captain's first inquiry after hearing this message referred to
Magdalen. "Where was Miss Bygrave?" "In her own room." "Where was Mrs.
Bygrave?" "In the back parlor." Captain Wragge turned his steps at once
in the latter direction, and found his wife, for the second time, in
tears. She had been sent out of Magdalen's room for the whole day,
and she was at her wits' end to know what she had done to deserve it.
Shortening her lamentations without ceremony, her husband sent her
upstairs on t he spot, with instructions to knock at the door, and
to inquire whether Magdalen could give five minutes' attention to a
question of importance which must be settled before two o'clock.
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