aldwin has told you of--of--of something.
It is all true, quite true, and I am wicked, wicked; no woman could have
been worse--and you hate me."

She released her hold upon his arm, and walking over to the window leant
against it and wept passionately.

He went over to her and placed his hand upon her shoulder.

"Look here, Loise, I'm very, very sorry I ever came here in the
_Malolo_"--her shaking figure seemed to shrink at the words--"for I love
you too, but, Loise--your husband was my father's oldest friend--and
mine."

The oval, tear-swept face was dangerously close to his now, and set his
blood racing again in all the quick, hot madness of youth.

"What is that to me?" she whispered; "I love you."

Brice shut his fists tightly and then--fatal mistake--tried to be angry
and tender at the same moment.

"Ah, but Loise, you, as well as I, know that among English people, for a
man to love his friend's wife----"

Again the low whisper--"What is that to me--and you? You love me, you
say. And, we are not among English people. I have my mother's heart--not
a cold English heart."

"Loise, Baldwin is my friend. He looks upon me as his son, and he trusts
me--and trusts you.... I could never look him in the face again.... If
he were any other man I wouldn't care, or if, if----"

She lifted her face from his shoulder. "Then you only lied to me. You
don't love me!"

That made him reckless. "Love you! By God. I love you so that if you
were any other man's wife but his-------" He looked steadily at her and
then, with gentle force, tried to take her arm from his neck.

She knew now that he was the stronger of the two, and yet wished to hear
more.

"Brice, dear Brice," she bent his head down to her lips, "if Baldwin
died would you marry me?"

The faintly murmured words struck him like a shot; she still holding her
arms around him, watched his face.

He kissed her on the lips. "I would marry you and never go back to the
world again," he answered, in the blind passion of the moment.

A hot, passionate kiss on his lips and she was gone, and Brice, with
throbbing pulses and shame in his heart, took up his hat and went out
upon the beach. He couldn't meet Baldwin just then. Other men's wives
had never made him feel such a miserable scoundrel as did this reckless
half-blood with the scarlet lips and starry eyes.

*****

That night old Baldwin and the captain of the _Malolo_ got thoroughly
drunk in the orthodox and ti