ce so close to her--if there remained any of that
life-longing that had been there for Darrett to find?

Life grew too cold, too gray and misshapen in that thought to see it as
life. It could not be. It was only that she was exhausted. And her
trust in him.

At least there was that. Then he would make her care for him by caring
for her--caring for her protectingly, tenderly, surrounding her with that
sea of tenderness that was in his heart for her. Life would come back. He
would woo it back. And no matter how the flame in his own heart might
rage he would wait upon the day when he could bring the love light to
her eyes without even the shadow of remembering of fear.

So he yearned over her--sorrowing, hoping. And life was to him two
things. What life had done to Ann. What life would be with Ann. He wanted
to let himself touch his lips lightly to her temple--so close to him. But
he would not--fearing to wake the fear in her, vowing to wait till love
could come through a trust that must cast fear forever from the heart.

Passion melted to tenderness; the tenderness flooding him in thought of
the love he would give her.

That same night he had her taken to a hospital. It was the only way he
could think of for caring for her, and she was far enough from well to
permit it. He left her there, again asleep, and cared for. Then returned
to his hotel and telephoned Katie. It was past daylight before sleep
came to him.

CHAPTER XXXIV

Once again Katie was donning the dress which had the colors of the sea.
She was wearing it this time, not because she must get the poor old thing
worn out, but because she had been asked to wear it. "By Request" she was
saying to herself, with a warm smile, as she shook out its folds.

As Nora was fastening it for her she saw her own face in the mirror and
tried to twist it about in some way. It seemed she would have to make
some explanation to Nora for looking like that.

It had been a day of golden October sunshine without, and within Katie's
heart a day of such sunshine as all her years of sunshine had never
brought. She had not felt like playing golf, or like reading about
evolution; body and mind were filled with a gladness all their own and
she had taken a long walk in and out among the wooded paths of her
beautiful Island and had been filled with thoughts of many beautiful and
wonderful things. Of the past she had thought, and of the future, and
most of all of the living pre