lifted out the flask, and, when they had both drunk, Sara meekly took
it from him and proceeded to adjust the screw cap and fit the silver cup
back into its place over the lower half of the flask.

Simultaneously she felt the car begin to move forward, and then, quite
how it happened she never knew, but, fumbling in the darkness, she
contrived to knock the cup sharply against the flask, and it flew out
of her hand and over the side of the car. Impulsively she leaned out,
trying to snatch it back as it fell, and, in the same instant, something
seemed to give way, and she felt herself hurled forward into space. The
earth rushed up to meet her, a sound as of many waters roared in her
ears, and then the blank darkness of unconsciousness swallowed her up.

CHAPTER XVIII

THE REVELATION OF THE NIGHT

"Thank God, she's only stunned!"

The words, percolating slowly through the thick, blankety mist that
seemed to have closed about her, impressed themselves on Sara's mind
with a vague, confused suggestion of their pertinence. It was as though
some one--she wasn't quite sure who--had suddenly given voice to her own
immediate sensation of relief.

At first she could not imagine for what reason she should feel so
specially grateful and relieved. Gradually, however, the mists began to
clear away and recollection of a kind returned to her.

She remembered dropping something--she couldn't recall precisely what it
was that she had dropped, but she knew she had made a wild clutch at
it and tried to save it as it fell. Then--she was remembering more
distinctly now--something against which she had been leaning--she
couldn't recall what that was, either--gave way suddenly, and for the
fraction of a second she had known she was going to fall and be killed,
or, at the least, horribly hurt and mutilated.

And now, it seemed, she had not been hurt at all! She was in no pain;
only her head felt unaccountably heavy. But for that, she was really
very comfortable. Some one was holding her--it was almost like lying
back in a chair--and against her cheek she could feel the soft warmth of
fur.

"Sara--beloved!"

It was Garth's voice, quite close to her ear. He was holding her in his
arms.

Ah! She knew now! They were on the island together, and he had just
asked her if she cared. Of course she cared! It was sheer happiness
to lie in his arms, with closed eyes, and hear his voice--that deep,
unhappy voice of his--grow suddenly so incr