alone here? Where are the others?"

"I do not know, Madame," he answered, his tone now that of formal
courtesy. "'Tis but a short time since we reached this spot, and the
storm yet rages. May I help you to stand, so you may perceive better
our situation."

He lifted me to my feet, and I stood erect, my clothes dripping wet,
and my limbs trembling so that I grasped his arm for support, and
glanced anxiously about. We were on a narrow sand beach, at the edge
of a small cove, so protected the waters were comparatively calm,
although the trees above bowed to the blast, and out beyond the
headland I could see huge waves, whitened with foam, and perceive the
clouds of spray flung up by the rocks. It was a wild scene, the roar
of the breakers loud and continuous, and the black clouds flying above
with dizzy rapidity. All the horror which I had just passed through
seemed typified in the scene, and I covered my face with my hands.

"You--you think they--they are all gone?" I asked, forcing the words
from me.

"Oh, no," he answered eagerly, and his hand touched me. "Do not give
way to that thought. I doubt if any in your canoe made shore, but the
others need not be in great danger. They could run before the storm
until they found some opening in the coast line to yield protection.
The sergeant was no _voyageur_, and when one of the paddles broke he
steered wrong. With an Indian there you would have floated."

"Then what can we do?"

"There is naught that I see, but wait. Monsieur Cassion will be blown
south, but will return when the storm subsides to seek you. No doubt
he will think you dead, yet will scarcely leave without search. See,
the sky grows lighter already, and the wind is less fierce. It would
be my thought to attain the woods yonder, and build a fire to dry our
clothes; the air chills."

I looked where he pointed, up a narrow rift in the rocks, yet scarcely
felt strength or courage to attempt the ascent. He must have read this
in my face, and seen my form shiver as the wind struck my wet
garments, for he made instant decision.

"Ah, I have a better thought than that, for you are too weak to
attempt the climb. Here, lie down, Madame, and I will cover you with
the sand. It is warm and dry. Then I will clamber up yonder, and fling
wood down; 'twill be but a short time until we have a cheerful blaze
here."

I shook my head, but he would listen to no negative, and so, at last,
I yielded to his insistence, and h