by the intervening range of hills. It
took me just twenty minutes of strolling to reach the farther end of
the island, where the barren rocks swarmed with gulls and other sea
birds, from which you may draw some idea as to the dimensions of our
domain. I obtained some sea-gulls' eggs from the nests on the rocks,
having to beat off some of the infuriated creatures to secure my booty,
and, thus supplied, returned to the camp. The remainder of the party
were now awake, and Juliette prepared the eggs, roasting them in the
sand by the aid of hot ashes. As we were well-nigh famished, I think we
all ate with appetite, except the Princess, who was still very silent
and listless.

"Princess," I said to her presently, "if a man lose half his treasure,
will he then throw away the other half recklessly?"

She looked at me in wonder. "You have lost a brother," I continued,
"but you have your own life which God gave you to guard."

"Yes," she said slowly, "I know you are right, but it is hard. I will
try, but----" She shivered. "It is hard--so hard to forget. I live in a
nightmare by day; it is only in sleep I can forget."

But she ate her breakfast after that, and a little later accompanied me
to a spring Ellison had discovered for a drink of water. As we stood
there in the morning sunshine, the fair wind tossing her skirts, she
faced me gravely.

"You have not given up hope, then?"

"No," said I frankly. "We are not beaten yet. I think I shall be able
to restore you to Europe, to hand you back to your uncle's palace."

She looked away to sea. "We were to have given up that for
always--Frederic and I," she said softly. "--we arranged it between
us."

"Princess," I said, "you did not approve. I have always known it. You
consented out of love for him. And now you shall go back."

She shook her head. "It is too late. The mill will never grind with the
waters that are passed. I did not--I was afraid. Yes, but I made up my
mind. He was all I had, and now I have nothing--I am alone."

It was impossible to assure her. There was no consolation possible now,
whatever might come hereafter. Her eyes encountered mine.

"But I am grateful--oh! so grateful, to those who stood by him to the
end and risked their lives for him," she said in a broken voice and
with tears in her eyes, and she put out her hand impulsively. I took
it, and my voice was almost as broken as hers.

"It is not true you are alone," I said, "for those who stood b