y at once.

There before him walked the pair so slowly and leisurely that he had to
be careful not to overtake them. They were nearing the cottage with the
open door, but the loud voice he had heard in passing was silent now,
and the stillness was oppressive--the beating of his own heart and the
soft whispering "whish" of the feet on the loose sand being all that was
audible to his ears.

It now occurred to him that, by a little management, he would be able to
convince himself that this was only a mad fancy; for the couple must
pass the open door, and if he struck off a little to his left, so as to
get nearer to the sea, he could hurry on unseen, and get opposite to the
door, so that when they passed the light he would have them like
silhouettes for a moment or two, quite long enough to make out their
profiles.

He set about carrying his plan into effect, and in a minute or so was
abreast of the pair, but they were quite invisible now; and, feeling
that he had gone too far, as soon as he was opposite to the lighted door
he began to advance slowly, expecting moment by moment to see the two
figures move into the light; but they did not come.

They must pass the door, he felt, for he could recall no way up the
cliff, the house perched up there being approached by a broad step-like
path from the rough roadway leading up the ravine which came down to the
shore with its stream, beside which, on either side, many of the
cottages were built.

Still they did not come, but Stratton waited patiently, for, lover-like,
they might be hanging back for a few moments before approaching the
light.

At last a dark figure in front of the doorway was plainly enough seen,
and Stratton leaned forward with eyes dilated, but only to utter a
muttered interjection, for the figure he saw was undoubtedly Brettison,
as he stood there apparently peering about in the darkness.

Another moment or two, and still no sign of the figures he sought, and,
wondering whether they could have passed through some miscalculation on
his part, he stepped forward quickly to make sure, when he became
visible to Brettison, who joined him at once.

"There you are, then. I was getting uneasy. One of the fishermen saw
you go along in this direction, and I was beginning to think that I must
get some of them to come and help me search for you."

"Why?" said Stratton harshly.

"Because the coast is dangerous, and there is always the risk of anyone
being surro