e lightly broken."

Not a feature of that proud face quivered to betray the sharp spasm of
fear that darted through her heart.

"You should have waited until you had cause to reproach me, Lester,"
she said, drawing her wrap closer about her and shivering as if with
cold. "I must go back to the house now; some one might miss me."

He made no reply. The wind bent the reeds, and the waves of the sea
dashed up on the distant beach with a long, low wash. He was wondering
how far she was to be trusted.

"You may have perfect confidence in me, Lester," she said; "my word
ought to be sufficient," as if quite divining his thoughts. "You need
have no fear; I will be true to you."

"I shall remain away until this affair has blown over," he replied. "I
can live as well in one part of the country as another, thanks to the
income my father left me." He laid great stress on the last sentence;
he wanted to impress her with the fact that he had plenty of money.
"She must never know," he told himself, "that he had so riotously
squandered the vast inheritance that had been left him, and he was
standing on the verge of ruin." A marriage with the wealthy heiress
would save him at the eleventh hour. "I will trust you, Pluma," he
continued. "I know, you will keep your vow."

The false ring of apparent candor did not deceive her; she knew it
would be a case of diamond cut diamond.

"That is spoken like your own generous self, Lester," she said,
softly, clasping his hands in her own white, jeweled ones. "You pained
me by your distrust."

He saw she was anxious to get away from him, and he bit his lip with
vexation; her pretty, coaxing manner did not deceive him one whit, yet
he clasped his arms in a very lover-like fashion around her as he
replied:

"Forget that it ever existed, my darling. Where there is such ardent,
passionate love, there is always more or less jealousy and fear. Do
you realize I am making an alien of myself for your sweet sake? I
could never refuse you a request. Your slightest will has been my law.
Be kind to me, Pluma."

She did try to be more than agreeable and fascinating.

"I must remove all doubts from his mind," she thought. "I shall
probably be Rex's wife when we meet again. Then his threats will be
useless; I will scornfully deny it. He has no proofs."

She talked to him so gracefully, so tenderly, at times, he was almost
tempted to believe she actually cared for him more than she would
admit. Still