into the Bay and anchored at the
entrance to Jake's cove. There were several ladies and gentlemen in
her, and one little girl. They picnicked on the beach and, in the
evening, they dined aboard, singing and laughing until after midnight.
Jake was the only one who saw or heard them, and he swears they were
not English-spoken. Though they were gay and pleasure-loving, yet they
seemed to be of a superior class of people.

"He awoke before daylight, fancying he heard screams in the location of
The Ghoul Rock. He got up and, so certain was he that he had not been
mistaken, he got into his boat and rowed out and round The Ghoul,--for
the night was calm,--but everything was quiet and peaceful out there.

"Next morning, while Joe Clark was scampering along the shore, he came
across the unconscious form of a little girl about four years old, clad
only in a nightdress and roped roughly to an unmarked life-belt. Joe
carried her in to his grandfather, old Andrew, who worked over her for
more than an hour; and at last succeeded in bringing her round.

"All she could say then was, "Rita, Rita, Rita," although, about a year
afterwards, she started to hum and sing a little Spanish dancing song.
A peculiar reversion of memory, for she certainly never heard such a
song in Golden Crescent.

"Jake swears to this day that she belonged to the launch party, who
must have run sheer into The Ghoul Rock and gone down.

"Little boy Joe pleaded with his grandfather and grandmother to keep
the tiny girl the sea had given them, and they did not need much
coaxing, for she was pretty and attractive from the first.

"Inquiries were set afoot, but, from that day to this, not a clue has
been found as to her identity; so, Rita Clark she is and Rita Clark she
will remain until some fellow, worthy of her I hope, wins her and
changes her name.

"I thought at one time, Joe Clark would claim her and her name would
not be changed after all, but since Joe has seen some of the outside
world and has been meeting with all kinds of people, he has grown
patronising and changeable with women, as he is domineering and
bullying with men.

"He treats Rita as if he expected her to be continually at his call
should he desire her, and yet he were at liberty to choose when and
where he please."

"But, does Rita care for him?" I asked.

"Seems so at times," he answered, "but of late I have noticed a
coldness in her at the mention of his name; just as if she r