e piled the white sand over me until
all but my face was covered. To me the position was ridiculous enough,
yet I appreciated the warmth and protection, and he toiled with
enthusiasm, his tongue as busy as his hands in effort to make me
comfortable.

"'Tis the best thing possible; the warmth of your body will dry your
clothes. Ah, it is turning out a worthy adventure, but will soon be
over with. The storm is done already, although the waves still beat
the shore fiercely. 'Tis my thought Monsieur Cassion will be back
along this way ere dusk, and a canoe can scarce go past without being
seen while daylight lasts, and at night we will keep a fire. There, is
that better? You begin to feel warm?"

"Yes, Monsieur."

"Then lie still, and do not worry. All will come out right in a few
hours more. Now I will go above, and throw down some dry wood. I shall
not be out of sight more than a few minutes."

From where I lay, my head on a hummock of sand, my body completely
buried, I could watch him scale the rocks, making use of the rift in
the face of the cliff, and finding no great difficulty. At the top he
looked back, waved his hand, and then disappeared among the trees. All
was silent about me, except for the dash of distant waves, and the
rustle of branches far overhead. I gazed up at the sky, where the
clouds were thinning, giving glimpses of faintest blue, and began to
collect my own thoughts, and realize my situation.

In spite of my promise to Cassion I was here alone with De Artigny,
helpless to escape his presence, or to be indifferent for the service
he had rendered me. Nor had I slightest wish to escape. Even although
it should be proven that the man was the murderer of my uncle, I could
not break the influence he had over me, and now, when it was not
proven, I simply must struggle to believe that he could be the
perpetrator of the deed. All that I seemed truly conscious of was a
relief at being free from the companionship of Cassion. I wanted to be
alone, relieved from his attentions, and the fear of what he might
attempt next. Beyond this my mind did not go, for I felt weak from the
struggle in the water, and a mere desire to lie quiet and rest took
possession of all my faculties.

De Artigny appeared at the edge of the cliff, and called to reassure
me of his presence. He had his arms filled with broken bits of wood
which were tossed to the sand, and, a moment later, he descended the
rift in the wall, and pause