e tree, thus binding to its trunk the first
twenty feet by which the spar hung from the branch.

She listened very carelessly, he thought, and betrayed little interest in
this enterprise which had cost him so much labor and fatigue.

When he had concluded, she was silent awhile, and then, looking up
quickly, said, to his great surprise:

"I think I may increase the dose of your medicine there. You are mistaken
in its power. I am sure I can take four times what you gave me."

"Indeed you are mistaken," he answered quickly. "I gave you the extreme
measure you can take with safety."

"How do you know that? You can only guess at its effects. At any rate, I
shall try it."

Hazel hesitated, and then confessed that he had made a little experiment
on himself before risking its effects upon her.

Helen looked up at him as he said this so simply and quietly. Her great
eyes filled with an angelic light. Was it admiration? Was it
thankfulness? Her bosom heaved, and her lips quivered. It was but a
moment, and she felt glad that Hazel had turned away from her and saw
nothing.

A long silence followed this little episode, when she was aroused from
her reverie.

Patter--pat--pat--patter.

She looked up.

Pat--patter--patter.

Their eyes met. It was the rain. Hazel only smiled a little, and then ran
down to his boat-house, to see that all was right there, and then
returned with a large bundle of chips, with which he made a fire, for the
sky had darkened overhead. Gusts of wind ran along the water; it had
become suddenly chilly. They had almost forgotten the feel of wet
weather.

Ere the fire had kindled, the rain came down in torrents, and, the matted
roof being resonant, they heard it strike here and there above their
heads.

Helen sat down on her little stool and reflected.

In that hut were two persons. One had foretold this, and feared it, and
provided against it. The other had said petulantly it was a bugbear.

And now the rain was pattering, and the prophet was on his knees making
her as comfortable as he could in spite of all, and was not the man to
remind her he had foretold it.

She pondered his character while she watched his movements. He put down
his embers, then he took a cocoa-pod out from the wall, cut it in slices
with his knife, and made a fine clear fire; then he ran out again, in
spite of Helen's remonstrance, and brought a dozen large scales of the
palmtree. It was all the more cheering for the