g woman exclaimed indignantly. "I'll not
tell you!"

"Is there anything about sickness in it?"

"I'll not tell you."

"If 'tis a case o' sickness," Tommy declared, "we'll take it across,
an' glad t' be o' service. If 'tis the other matter----"

"What other matter?" the young woman flashed.

"Well," Tommy replied, flushed and awkward, "there was another little
matter between Elizabeth Luke an'----"

The young woman started.

"Elizabeth Luke!" she cried. "Did you say Elizabeth Luke?"

"I did, ma'am."

"I said nothing about Elizabeth Luke."

"We knows 'tis from she."

"Ah-ha!" the young woman exclaimed. "You know far too much. I think
you have more interest in this telegram than you ought to have."

"I confess it."

The young woman surveyed Tommy Lark with sparkling curiosity. Her eyes
twinkled. She pursed her lips.

"What's your name?" she inquired.

"Thomas Lark."

The young woman turned to Sandy Rowl.

"What's your name?" she demanded.

"Alexander Rowl. Is there--is there anything in the telegram about me?
Aw, come now!"

The young woman laughed pleasantly. There was a romance in the wind.
Her interest was coy.

"Would you like to know?" she teased, her face dimpling.

Sandy Rowl responded readily to this dimpling, flashing banter. A
conclusion suggested itself with thrilling conviction.

"I would!" he declared.

"And to think that I could tell you!"

"I'm sure you could, ma'am!"

The young woman turned to Tommy Lark.

"Your name's Lark?"

"Yes, ma'am. There's nothin'--there's nothin' in the telegram about a
man called Thomas Lark, is there?"

"And yours is Rowl?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"I'm new to these parts," said the young woman, "and I'm trying to
learn all the names I can master. Now, as for this telegram, you may
take it or leave it, just as you will. What are you going to do? I
want to close the office now and go home to tea."

"We'll take it," said Sandy Rowl. "Eh, Tommy?"

"Ay."

"An' we'll deliver it as soon as we're able. It may be the night. It
may not be. What say t' that, Tommy?"

"We'll take it across."

* * * * *

With that the young woman handed the sealed envelope to Tommy Lark and
bade them both goodnight.

Tommy Lark thrust the telegram in his waistcoat pocket and buttoned
his jacket. Both men turned to the path to the crest of Black Cliff,
whence a lesser foot-path led to the shore of the sea.

"One o' the two of us," sa