Suddenly she could stand it no longer. Slowly, in dignity, she arose to
her feet and without looking at them she walked, head down, to her door.
Then she realized she had perhaps been too crisp, too businesslike about
it all. A vision of the kind of women they must have known, the kind
which would arouse their passion, the kind which would make it all
unmistakable....

She had a flashing memory of a girl back in college, one smitten with a
football hero, trying to captivate the hero, draw him to her. On
impulse, Miss Kitty imitated that girl now, and a little tableau she
remembered.

At her doorway she turned, and looked at them over her shoulder. She
lifted her shoulder so that it touched her chin. She drooped her eyes
half shut.

"My name is Katheryn," she said, and she tried to make her voice husky
instead of tremulous and frightened. "Call me Kathy, call me Kate, call
me Kay."

Both men were staring at her with wide eyes and open mouths as she
closed her door. She made sure there was no sound of a latch turning to
discourage them.

* * * * *

She undressed herself slowly, and, for the first time other than for
bathing, completely. She felt grateful for the time they were giving
her. No doubt they were talking it over, man to man, in the way of
civilized, educated.... She crawled in between the blankets, fresh and
smelling of sunshine from being washed in the clear water of the lake.
She was a little regretful she had no perfume; that was something they
didn't put into lifeboats.

She waited.

She heard the low rumble of male voices in the other room. They were
undoubtedly discussing it. She felt grateful relief that their voices
had not risen. They were not quarreling over her--not yet. She did hope
they would continue to be sensible.

She heard one of the stools scrape on the rough split log floor. She
caught her breath in a gasp, found her hands were clutching the covers
and pulling them tightly up to her chin. She willed her hands to relax.
She willed the tenseness out of her rigid body.

She heard the other stool scrape. Surely they were not both....

She heard their feet walking across the floor, the heavy steps of the
lieutenant, the lighter, springier steps of Sam. She gritted her teeth
and clenched her eyes tight shut.

And then she heard the outer door close softly.

Which one? Which had remained behind?

She waited.

Then she heard footsteps outside.