cold. At last his time had come! And he dashed forward on the
run.

But the figure in front of the door was supported on a pair of wonderful
legs. When it saw another man approaching, it gave one bound and went
tearing off down the street. Early risers in the houses along the road
heard the clatter of racing footsteps on the brick sidewalks as the
pursuit swept by, a panting heart-breaking chase in the dark. The Rector
could see a white spot in front of him, the pack of clothing the
fugitive was carrying over his shoulder; but despite his best efforts,
he realized that clew would soon be lacking; for the distance between
him and his intended victim opened wider at every yard. Those bandy legs
of his were just the thing to walk a deck in bad weather, but on the
racetrack!... Besides, that wait there hadn't done him any good, and
Tonet had been famous as a runner when he was a little boy. At a
crossroad, in fact, the white pack had vanished into void. Pascualo went
hunting through the streets on either side, but he could not find even a
footprint.

People were beginning to be up and about in the Cabanal, men, for the
most part, who had work to do on the shore. And the Rector himself now
fled, in terror at the thought that some one might see him. There was
nothing left to be done now. He had lost all hope of vengeance. And
shivering with cold, too weak to think even, resigned to whatever fate
should have in store for him, he made his way toward the beach. Things
were already stirring about the boats there. The dark sands were flecked
all along with lanterns as the sailors went about their work. And here
was another light--from the door of the tavern-boat. Roseta had just
taken down the wooden shutter over the counter and she could be seen
through the opening, wrapped in a shawl, her halo of blonde curly hair
shooting rebellious strands out from under the kerchief over her head.
She was still but half awake, and her face was pinched and blue from the
cold. She was on the lookout for early customers, and a bottle of
brandy with glasses was out on the board. _Sina_ Tona was still asleep
in her stateroom. Knowing hardly what he was about, Pascualo turned in
that direction, and did not stop till his elbow was on the counter.

"Give us a glass!" But Roseta, instead of obeying him, stood there
looking at him with bright though expressionless eyes that seemed to
penetrate to the innermost of his spirit. The Rector winced. That g