om
where she sat. In his bitter rage against her he strove to shout, but
the effort was little more than a hoarse whisper. Lying there
impotently, he studied her attitude as the minutes crept by, and there
came at last into his heart a touch of pity that swelled with the
sight of her.

Pain-racked but determined, he again started toward the elevation,
crawling over and around the boulders that intervened. He was within
five feet of her before he spoke, and then not until he had studied her
face for some moments, steadying himself against a large rock. She was
more beautiful than ever with her black hair awry and matted, brushed
away from the pure white face and fastened recklessly with the shell
combs she had worn on board the _Tempest Queen_. Her blue eyes looked
mournfully from beneath their long lashes. The slender white hands lay
listlessly in the lap of the once white dress, now water-stained,
wrinkled and shapeless. In spite of all that dreadful buffeting by the
wind and water she was still the beautiful creation of nature he had
found so charming in a realm where nature seldom presents herself.

"Lady Tennys," he called hoarsely. "You do not know how I thank God you
are alive."

She turned slowly, as if she had known all along of his tortuous
approach. Her voice was low and thrilling.

[Illustration: "'LADY TENNYS, ... YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW I THANK GOD YOU
ARE ALIVE'"]

"I prayed for hours, it seemed, after we were dashed upon this shore,
that you might live and that I might die. The knowledge that you saved
me through mistake, that you were battling so long and so bravely all
through the night for the one you cherished more than all in the world,
made me pray from the first that I could be dead before you discovered
the horrid error. You picked me up when the crash came and I was too
terrified to even think of crying aloud in protest. Then we were in that
awful, awful water. It was not until hours afterward that I felt we
might escape find that I should have to face your grief." He reached up
and clasped her hand.

"Don't--don't talk like that now," he groaned. "I hated you this
morning, but--God, it is a relief to have you here to share all this
with me. God threw us into the sea and He has saved us. I would to God I
could have gone down with--with her, but--but--" and he broke down, his
head falling upon his outstretched arms at her feet. A deep sob from
Lady Tennys caused him to lift his haggard eyes to