y down and down for quite a long time,
till Mavis began to wonder if they would ever discover an outlet. When,
at last, the passage was seen to emerge into a blaze of sunlight, they
ran like children to see who would be out first. In a few moments they
were blinking their eyes to accustom these to the sudden sunlight. It
was hard to believe that the sun had been shining while their way had
been steeped in gloom. When they were shortly able to look about them,
they glanced at one another, to see if the spot they reached had made
anything of an impression. There was occasion for surprise. The lovers
were now in an all but land-locked stretch of water, shut in by tall
rocks or high ground. Before the water of the inlet could reach the
sea, it would have to pass sheer, sentinel rocks which seemed to guard
jealously the bay's seclusion.

From several places very high up in the ground on either side of them,
water gushed out in continuous currents, making music the while,
presently to merge by divers channels into a stream which straggled
down to the sea. The surface of this stream was covered with
watercress: this was green where the water was fresh, a bright yellow
as far as the salt tide had prevailed. Between where they stood and the
distressed waters of the bay was a stretch of yellow sand. A little to
their right was a dismantled, tumble-down cottage, which served to
emphasise the romantic remoteness of the place.

"Isn't it--isn't it exquisite?" cried Mavis.

"It might have been made for us," Perigal remarked.

"It was. Say it was."

"Of course it was. Let me make my darling comfortable. She must be
tired after her walk."

"She isn't a bit--but--"

"But what, sweetheart?"

"It's a long time since she had a kiss."

Perigal insisted upon making Mavis comfortable, with her back to a
conveniently situated hummock of earth. He lit a cigarette, to pass it
on to her before lighting one for himself.

Mavis lay back with the cigarette between her red lips, the while her
eyes lazily took in the strange loveliness about her. The joy that
burned so fiercely in her heart seemed to have been communicated to the
world. Sea, cliff, waterfalls were all resplendent in the bountiful
sunlight.

"It's not real: it's not real," she presently murmured.

"What isn't real?" he asked.

"This: you: love."

He reassured her with kisses.

"If it would only go on for ever!" she continued. "I'm so hungry for
happiness."

"Why