again become less, another cloud had arisen in the firmament of mingled
joys and sorrows, threatening to encompass even the bright rays of hope
within its gloom.

Mrs. Grosvenor had written her husband of the conduct of their truant
son, as Harry had wished, and had in reply received his full forgiveness
for the boy. Captain Grosvenor had written that he much regretted not
having taken Harry along with him, "for," said he, "a second thought
would have convinced me that the boy had too much of the spirit of his
father to remain contentedly on shore; he has but followed in my
footsteps, for I never shall forget the night I stole away from my
father's house, when I was but ten years old, and went to sea. Yes, tell
my boy that I forgive him, yet it annoys me very much that you and our
dear Natalie are left alone, my wife; but at the rate we have been
doing, it will not be long before we shall be homeward bound."

Nearly a twelvemonth had passed since this letter had been received; not
a word had been heard of the Tantalizer for a long time; several ships
had returned which had left since she had sailed, but they had brought
no tidings of her. Over a year had passed since she was last reported,
and her owners began to look doubtful in regard to her fate; and there
were rumors that the Tantalizer was counted among the missing vessels,
yet no one dared to breathe the thought to the still hoping family,
while there was the least possibility that she might be heard from
again; and who would wish to be the first to pronounce that gentle wife
a widow? Darker and still deeper grew the overshadowing cloud, and the
hopes of the trusting ones less. Mrs. Grosvenor would sit for whole days
brooding over her sorrows, clinging to the last ray of hope, with
almost the insanity of hope; but the last spark finally went out, never
again to be rekindled. The untiring wheels of time still went their