I interrupt her in her lonely enjoyment?

I was perplexed more than a little in trying to place where she
rightfully belonged. Naturally, I took her to be the daughter of one
of the settlers on the far side of Golden Crescent. But there was a
something in her entire appearance that seemed to place her on a
different plane from that, a plane all by herself; while, again, there
was the Spanish song which I had heard her lilt out on the water.

She brought my conjecturing to rather an abrupt conclusion, for,
without any warning, she darted up over the rocks and through the ferns
to where I lay, and she had almost trodden upon me before I had time to
get out of her way.

She stepped back with an exclamation of surprise, but gave no sign to
indicate that she was afraid.

I sprang to my feet.

"I am very sorry,--miss," I said sincerely.

"Oh!--there ain't much to be sorry over. This ain't my island.
Still,--girls don't much care about men watching them from behind
places," she replied, with a tone of displeasure.

"And I am sorry,--again," I answered. "Please forgive me, for I could
hardly help it. I was lying here when I heard you sing. I became
curious. When you landed, I intended making my presence known, but I
said to myself just what you have said now:--'It is not my island.'
However, I shall go now and leave you in possession."

"Where is your boat?"

"Didn't bring one with me."

"How did you get here then?"

Her blunt questioning was rather disconcerting.

"Oh! I walked it," I answered lightly, with a grin.

Her voice changed. "You're trying to be smart," she reprimanded.

"Sorry," I said, in a tone of contrition, "for I am not a bit smart in
spite of my trying. Well,--I swam across from the wharf over there."

She looked up. "Being smart some more."

"No!--it is true."

She measured the distance from the island to the wharf with her eye.

I remarked, some time ago, that her hair was of the darkest shade of
brown. I was wrong;--there was a darker hue still, and that was in her
eyes; while her skin was of that attractive combination, olive and pink.

"Gee!--that was some swim.

"How are you going to get back?" she continued, in open friendliness.

"Swim!"

"Ain't you tired?"

"I was winded a bit when I got here, but I am all right again," I
answered.

"You're an Englishman?"

"How did you guess it?" I asked, as if I were giving her credit for
unearthing a great mystery.

Be