it
were requisite to know the whole process of a woman's soul, thus
chilled. She had been hesitant, had been a little resentful of this
runaway situation, had not liked my domineering ways; but at last she
had relented and had asked my pardon. Then I had spurned her. And then
her mind swung to the other man. She had not yet given that man his
answer, but when I chilled her, rejected her timid little desire to
"make up" with me--why, then, her mind was made up for that other man
at once. She had written his answer. And now--oh! fiendlike cruelty of
woman's heart--she had chosen me as her messenger to carry out that
word which would cost me herself forever! She had done that
exquisitely well, as she did everything, not even advising me that I
was to be her errand boy on such an errand, trusting me to find out by
accident, as I had, that I was to be my own executioner, was to spring
my own guillotine. She knew that, none the less, though I understood
what the letter meant thus addressed, I sacredly must execute her
silent trust. Oh! Helena, yours was indeed an exquisite revenge for
that one hour of a dour man's hurt pride.

CHAPTER XXXVI

IN WHICH WE FOLD OUR TENTS

By consent of the lighthouse keeper, we left the _Belle Helene_ moored
at the wharf in the channel, with Williams in charge, while Peterson
and I, towing the tender's sailing skiff, its piratical lateen sail
lowered, started back for our encampment in our long boat. It was only
a half mile or so alongshore around the head of the island, although
we had to keep out a bit to avoid going aground on the flats where the
_Belle Helene_ had come to grief--and had, moreover, to wade ashore
some fifty yards or so, now that the sea was calm, since the keel of
the motor-boat would not admit a closer approach in the shallows.

We found our party all assembled, John having but now issued his
luncheon call; and, such had proved the swift spell of this care-free
life, none expressed much delight at the announcement of my decision
to strike camp and move toward civilization. Helena only looked up
swiftly, but made no comment; and Mrs. Daniver, to my surprise, openly
rebelled at leaving these flesh-pots, where canvasback and terrapin
might be had by shaking the bushes, and where the supply of
ninety-three seemed, after all, not exhausted. Of course, my men had
nothing to say about it, but when it came to my partners and
associates, Lafitte and L'Olonnois, there was