ering of her steps.
Captain Jack sprang forward and gave her his arm, and she leant upon
it without speaking, heavily. For one moment she stopped as if she
could not tear her feet from the beloved planks, but Curwen caught her
by the other arm; and then she was on the swinging ladder. And so she
left the _Peregrine_.

* * * * *

The gig was almost filled with barrels; there was only room for the
four oarsmen selected, besides the captain and herself. The boat
shoved off. She looked back and saw, as once before, the great wall of
the ship's side rise sheer above the sea, saw the triangle of light
again slide down to lie a span above the water-line. With what a
leaping heart she had set forth, that black night, away from the
hateful lighthouse beam to that glimmer of promise and mystery! And
now! She felt herself grow sick at the thought of that home-coming; at
the vision of the close warm rooms, of her husband's melancholy eyes.
Yet, as she sat, the sleeve of the captain's rough sailor coat touched
her shoulder, and she remembered she was still with him. It was not
all death yet.

In less than three minutes they touched ground. He jumped into the
water, and stretched out his arms for Molly. She rose giddily, and his
embrace folded her round. The waves rolled in with surge and thud and
dashed their spray upon them; and still the rain fell and beat upon
her head, from which she had impatiently pushed her hood. But her
spirit had no heed for things of the body this night.

Oh, if the sea would open sudden deeps before them! if even the
quicksand would seize them in its murderous jaws, what ecstasy the
hideous lingering death might hold for her, so that only she lay,
thus, in his arms to the end!

It was over now; his arms had clasped her for the last time. She stood
alone upon the dry sand, and her heart was in hell.

He was speaking; asking her pardon for not going at once with her to
see her into the keep, but he dared not leave the beach till his cargo
was landed, and he must show the men the way to the caves. Would she
forgive him, would she go with him?

Forgive him! Go with him! She almost laughed aloud. A few poor moments
more beside him; they would be as the drops of water to the burning
tongue of Dives.

Yes, she would go with him.

One by one the precious caskets were carried between a couple of men,
who stumbled in the darkness, close on their captain's heels. And the
l