oubled along the sands; the barking of a dog at the water's edge.
Clear and near sounded the ship's bell on the _Ariani_; a moment's
rattle of block and tackle, a dull call, answered; and silence. Through
which, without a sound, swept a great bird with scarce a beat of its
spread wings; and behind it, another, and, at exact intervals another
and another in impressive processional, sailing majestically through the
fog; white pelicans winging inland to the lagoons.

A few minutes later the wind, which had become fitful, suddenly grew
warm. All around him now the mist was dissolving into a thin golden
rain; the land-breeze freshened, blowing through distant jasmine
thickets and orange groves, and a soft fragrance stole out over the sea.

As the sun broke through in misty splendour, the young man, brooding on
his oars, closed his eyes; and at the same instant his boat careened
violently, almost capsizing as a slender wet shape clambered aboard and
dropped into the bows. As the boat heeled under the shock Hamil had
instinctively flung his whole weight against the starboard gunwale. Now
he recovered his oars and his balance at the same time, and, as he swung
half around, his unceremonious visitor struggled to sit upright, still
fighting for breath.

"I beg your pardon," she managed to say; "may I rest here? I am--" She
stopped short; a flash of sudden recognition came into her
eyes--flickered, and faded. It was evident to him that, for a moment,
she thought she had met him before.

"Of course you may stay here," he said, inclined to laugh.

She settled down, stretching slightly backward as though to give her
lungs fuller play. In a little while her breathing grew more regular;
her eyes closed for a moment, then opened thoughtfully, skyward.

Hamil's curious and half-amused gaze rested on her as he resumed the
oars. But when he turned his back and headed the boat shoreward a quick
protest checked him, and oars at rest, he turned again, looking
inquiringly at her over his shoulder.

"I am only rowing you back to the beach," he said.

"Don't row me in; I am perfectly able to swim back."

"No doubt," he returned drily, "but haven't you played tag with Death
sufficiently for one day?"

"Death?" She dismissed the grotesque suggestion with a shrug, then
straightened up, breathing freely and deeply. "It is an easy swim," she
remarked, occupied with her wet hair under the knotted scarlet; "the fog
confused me; that was all.