and I made
for it. I climbed up with you across my shoulder."

"You are wonderfully strong," she said, in a tone of surprise.

He laughed openly.

"Notwithstanding my size," he said. "Yes; I'm fairly muscular, thank
Heaven."

Evelyn's mind was still working round the problem of deliverance.

"We shall have to stay here for hours," she said, "even if--if----"

He interrupted her with grave authority.

"There is no 'if,' Miss Harford," he said. "We may have to spend some
hours here; but it will be in safety."

"I don't see how you can tell," she ventured to remark, beginning to
look around her with greater composure notwithstanding.

"Providence doesn't play practical jokes of that sort," said Cheveril
quietly. "Do you know I have come from the other end of the earth to see
you?"

She felt the burning colour rush up to her temples, yet she made a
determined effort to look him in the face. His eyes, keen and kindly,
were searching hers, and she found she could not meet them.

"I--I don't know what brought you," she said, in a very low voice.

She felt the arm that supported her grow rigid, and guessed that he was
putting force upon himself as he made reply.

"Let me explain," he said. "You sent me a cablegram which said, 'Please
cancel engagement.' Naturally that had but one meaning for me--you and
Jim Willowby had got the better of your difficulties, and were going to
be married. In the capacity of friend, I received the news with
rejoicing. So I cabled back 'Delighted.' Soon after that came a letter
from Jim to tell me you had thrown him over. Now, why?"

She answered him with her head bent:

"I found that I didn't care for him quite in that way."

Cheveril did not speak for several seconds. Then, abruptly, he said:

"There is another fellow in the business."

She made a slight gesture of appeal, and remained silent.

He leaned forward slowly at length, and laid his hand upon both of hers.

"Evelyn," he said very gently, "will you tell me his name?"

She shook her head instantly. Her lips were quivering, and she bit them
desperately.

He waited, but no word came. Outside, the roaring of the sea was
terrible and insistent. The great sound sent a shudder through the girl.
She shrank closer to the cold stone.

He pulled off his coat and wrapped it round her. Then, as if she had
been a child, he drew her gently into his arms, and held her so.

"Tell me--now," he said softly.

But she hid her fa